Project Associate

Volunteering Environment Finance & Economy

Overview

Support establishment and operationalization of Climate Change Knowledge Centre.

You have:

• At least 3 years’ experience related to analysis of climate schemes and programs in India.
• Familiarity with national and international climate change adaptation efforts.
• Experience with public and private stakeholder management for climate projects.
• Research skills to gather relevant data, statistics, case studies, and best practices related to climate adaptation.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to draft technical notes, reports, official correspondence, and knowledge materials.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, capable of building trust and maintaining positive relationships with diverse stakeholders.

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

Public sector funds will not be sufficient to meet the adaptation needs of the country & there is a need for an increase in private sector investment for climate adaptation. There remains a critical need to institutionalize mechanisms that enable continuous capacity building in climate science, modeling, financing and tracking of finance flows. Establishing formal structures for these activities ensures that adaptation planning is integrated into the decision-making processes of both national and sub-national governments, fostering long-term sustainability.

As an outcome of the recently concluded National Workshop on Sustainable Finance organized by the Department of Economic Affairs & UNDP with support from NITI Aayog, there was alignment on the need for a formal framework or guidance for states on SDG aligned budgeting. As climate change impacts intensify annually, the connection between climate change & economic growth is gaining greater recognition. However, more detailed country & state-specific analysis is urgently needed to fully understand wide-ranging impacts of climate change on economic growth & the costs of creating supportive policy environments, implementing concrete measures, and building long-term institutional and human capacities. While much of the current climate adaptation finance is directed towards physical adaptation measures, the costs of implementing soft measures like capacity building & vulnerability studies are not covered by external funding or domestic public budgets.

Some barriers to private sector investments in climate adaptation efforts include the perceived financial risks of adaptation projects, lack of technical knowledge on adaptation benefits, and the absence of adequate policy incentives to encourage private sector investments. Therefore, there is a need to address these barriers by advocating for a comprehensive adaptation financing framework in India that promotes the integration of public, private, and international finance.

Another challenge in the successful implementation of adaptation strategies is the limited coherence between national and sub-national adaptation planning as these measures are often implemented in silos leading to fragmented efforts & results. There is thus a need to build institutional capacity at both levels, fostering better alignment between national policies & regional implementation for a more integrated approach to adaptation.

This initiative on establishing and strengthening a Knowledge Centre on Climate Change Adaptation Modeling is aimed at addressing the critical gap between the need for adaptation and the availability of appropriate metrics and data/information to effectively plan & implement these strategies. By evaluating & prioritizing actions based on factors such as risk reduction potential, cost-effectiveness, feasibility & co-benefits, modeling helps plan for future climate conditions. Climate adaptation modeling can inform the development of financial mechanisms & investment needs, using cost-benefit analysis & financing models to ensure sustainable & effective implementation of adaptation measures. This supports adaptation planning (short, medium & long-term) by offering data-driven assessments of various strategies for an informed decision-making. Such an approach not only enables effective adaptation to current climate impacts but also prepares for future risks by creating a solid foundation for evidence-based adaptation measures.

UNDP is looking to onboard a Project Associate to support the establishment and operationalization of the Climate Change Knowledge Centre at NITI Aayog. The Project Associate will provide technical and coordination to ensure effective implementation of project activities. The role will also contribute to capacity-building materials and the development of knowledge products for national and sub-national stakeholders.

The Project Associate will provide technical and coordination support to ensure effec-tive implementation of project activities. • Assist in Research and Analysis: Aanalyse trends and patterns related to climate im-pacts and adaptation needs. • Contribute to background studies and reports that inform planning and policy deci-sions. • Support organisation of project meetings, workshops, and consultations with gov-ernment departments, research institutions, NGOs, and other stakeholders. • Coordinate with thematic experts, consultants, and partners for timely delivery of outputs. • Liaise with state- and district-level counterparts for data collection and follow-up on agreed actions. • Contribute to drafting sections of reports, briefs, and presentations with insights from data. • Assist in translating data into clear, simple summaries for wider audiences. Generate insights and data summaries for gender-responsive policy briefs. • Support development of white papers, best practice case studies, and visual knowledge products. • Maintain project databases, document repositories, and stakeholder contact lists. • Support the preparation of knowledge products, communication materials, and social media updates. • Document good practices, lessons learned, and case studies emerging from the pro-ject. • Assist in procurement processes, including preparation of ToRs, request for quota-tions, and vendor coordination. • Support budget tracking and prepare financial updates for project activities.

• Adaptability and Flexibility • Commitment and Motivation • Commitment to Continuous Learning • Communication • Creativity • Ethics and Values • Integrity • Knowledge Sharing • Planning and Organizing • Professionalism • Respect for Diversity • Self-Management • Vision • Working in Teams

• At least 3 years’ experience related to analysis of climate schemes and programs in In-dia. • Familiarity with national and international climate change adaptation efforts. • Experience with public and private stakeholder management for climate projects. • Research skills to gather relevant data, statistics, case studies, and best practices re-lated to climate adaptation. • Strong written communication skills, with the ability to draft technical notes, reports, official correspondence, and knowledge materials clearly and effectively. • Excellent interpersonal skills, capable of building trust and maintaining positive rela-tionships with diverse stakeholders.

The assignment will be based in New Delhi. New Delhi is the capital city of India, experi-ences a diverse climate and has distinct living conditions influenced by its weather, infra-structure, and culture. A melting pot of cultures, languages, and cuisines, reflecting the diverse nature of India. Overall, living in Delhi offers a mix of modern urban life with deep-rooted traditions and challenges typical of a large, bustling metropolis.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for ar-ranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. This position is based in New Delhi. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions.

The contract lasts for the period indicated above with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. The applicable Volunteer Living Allowance is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses.

You can check full entitlements at https://app.unv.org/calculator

This Entitlements specific to this volunteering assignment is below: • Monthly Voluntary Living Allowance (VLA): INR 64,961.50 • Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 400 (equivalent in INR) • Relocation costs: $200 at beginning and end of assignment if duty station is outside of commuting distance (as determined by UNV) • Exit allowance (paid on successful completion of the assignment): INR 5,413.46 for each month served • Comprehensive coverage for health and life

Leave entitlements: • Annual leave: 2.5 days accrued per calendar month • Certified sick leave: 30 days • Uncertified sick leave: 7 days • Learning leave: 10 working days per consecutive 12 months • Maternity leave: 16 weeks • Paternity leaves: 10 days

For more information on entitlements please read the Conditions of Service (https://explore.unv.org/cos).

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Potential interview questions

Added 8 months ago - Updated 8 months ago - Source: unv.org