Sustainability and Climate Change Consultant (National), Public Partnership Division (PPD) Tokyo, Japan, 9.5 months

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, hope

Background:

UNICEF Tokyo, as part of the Public Partnerships Division (PPD), works to strengthen UNICEF’s position as a trusted partner of the Government of Japan and other public sector partners in Japan with the aim of expanding strategic collaborations and resource mobilization opportunities.

Through its diverse portfolio of activities and in collaboration with HQs/Regional Offices (ROs)/Country Offices (COs) as well as Japan Committee for UNICEF, UNICEF Tokyo works to strengthen UNICEF’s role as a strategic partner of choice for the Government of Japan, e.g. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and to secure a steady pipeline of resources for children’s rights both in humanitarian and development contexts.

In particular, UNICEF Tokyo plays a key role to facilitate the alignment between UNICEF and Government of Japan’s ODA priorities, as well as opportunities for joint multilateral leadership and advocacy to advance key children’s issues. This is the case of Sustainability and Climate Change agenda, one of Japan’s key and emerging ODA priorities and one on which the Government plays increasing global leadership, backed up by Japan’s initiative toward Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050. The Government of Japan has enormously supported mitigation and adaptation actions in developing countries through contributions to climate funds and international organizations.

The importance of strengthening UNICEF’s programming on climate change and environmental degradation has been highlighted in the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025. Following the priorities highlighted in this programming, it is important that climate, environment and disaster issues are advanced and integrated in CO programming. To this end, PPD Tokyo’s climate change strategy is vital to enhance the mainstreaming of climate and environmental actions as the guiding principle for our resource mobilization and to set our position clearly.

In 2023, UNICEF’s SCAP 2023-2030, Sustainability, Climate Change Action Plan, was newly issued, which galvanizes a global commitment to ensure a sustainable world and to protect the most vulnerable children from the worst impacts of a changing climate and degrading environment. It also outlines UNICEF’s organizational response to this climate crisis and focus areas for action and partnerships – delivering the best results cannot be achieved by UNICEF working alone.

To support this global initiative and scale up partnership work around the Sustainability and Climate Change agenda in Japan, this consultant will assist PPD Tokyo in positioning UNICEF as a partner of choice for the Government of Japan in the domain of Sustainability and Climate Change agenda and develop strategic relations with other key development partners including JICA.

Purpose of Assignment:

Based on the background above, and in close coordination with the rest of UNICEF Tokyo team, the overall purpose of this post is to:

a) position UNICEF as Japan’ s partner of choice for Sustainability and Climate Change work and recognized as one of the key players on climate change through policy advocacy and partnership initiatives.

Functional reporting line to Senior Advisor, UNICEF PPD Tokyo.

b) enhance donor visibility, evidence of impact and thought leadership in Sustainability and Climate Change and amplify UNICEF’s role on climate change through different channels, including preparation of ICON stories, website materials and social media.

Functional reporting line to Advocacy/Partnership Specialist UNICEF PPD Tokyo.

Scope of Work/ Key Responsibilities and Deliverables:

1. Position UNICEF as a partner of choice for the Government of Japan on Sustainability and Climate Change

In close collaboration with UNICEF Tokyo team and selected NYHQ/RO colleagues, the consultant will lead on designing and executing advocacy and partnership efforts in the area of Sustainability and Climate Change.

Deliverables:

• In the first 15 days prepare a short PPD Tokyo’s Sustainability and Climate Change engagement plan summarizing proposed activities for the duration of the consultancy.
• Lead in designing, negotiating and organizing a climate change technical event with Japanese stakeholders, including Japan’s MoFA (in person and/or virtually), including preparation of final and follow up reports. This will be a pitch event to promote Japan’s support and showcase fundraising needs on this area.
• Together with UNICEF’s Private Fundraising Division (PFP) and Japan’s National Committee, co-lead in designing, negotiating and organizing a climate change event with Japanese private sector companies to showcase opportunities to invest in shared value partnership with UNICEF. Explore any potential Japanese companies which can provide green/eco-friendly products, which could enhance UNICEF’s programme implementation.
• Support the advocacy efforts of the team to advance climate agenda for UNICEF in Japan through ongoing technical expertise and inputs as needed.
• Refine and finalize the existing UNICEF PPD Tokyo’s advocacy paper for the Government of Japan.
• Together with the Tokyo team and the East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) and Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) Regional advisers, help the preparation of country proposals/advocacy paper with adaptation and mitigation goals to submit to the Government of Japan.
• Support the preparation of Annual Policy Consultation with MoFA and other high-level visits in the area of climate change, including preparation of briefing package on climate, provide technical insights for the media interviews.
• In the context of the existing global Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with JICA, help identify partnership opportunities with JICA on Sustainability and Climate Change by liaising with all concerned and facilitate discussion on knowledge exchange in the area of Sustainability and Climate Change.
• Enhance communication between PPD Tokyo and COs in the area of Sustainability and Climate Change by disseminating relevant Japan’s policies and PPD Tokyo’s advocacy papers as well as by gathering and documenting lessons learned and best practices.

2. Ensure visibility of UNICEF’s work on Sustainability and Climate Change to the Government of Japan

In close collaboration with UNICEF Tokyo team and the concerned NYHQ/RO colleagues, the consultant will support to ensure donor’s visibility of support efforts in the area of Sustainability and Climate Change through the provision of technical inputs.

• Connect with all Regional Offices and selected Country Offices and gather programmatic evidence of UNICEF’s work and results on Sustainability and Climate Change possibly with Japan’s funding, distill and present a visualization of data (e.g. one-pager).
• Help Tokyo Office prepare climate change related visibility and recognition materials to be posted on the UNICEF Tokyo Office’s website and social media, such as human interest stories, web article as well as social media in Japanese. Prepare one ICON story on UNICEF PPD Tokyo engagement on climate in 2024 in relation to Japan.

Contract Duration: 9.5 months

Starting Date: 15 April 2024

The selected consultant is expected to work within Japan's time zone, and home-based in principle, with face-to-face meetings in Tokyo when necessary, during the assignment period.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have...

• Advanced university degree in environmental sciences, environmental management, public policy, international development, international relations, social sciences, or related field.
• A minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience in disaster risk management, climate change, international development and humanitarian assistance experience, preferably in the UN system, is required. Field experience is an expected asset.
• Experience in advocacy, resource mobilization and partnerships building with the Government of Japan is an asset. Specific experience in working/liaising with MoFA or JICA at the HQ or field level is desirable.
• Knowledge and working experience in Africa, Asia and the Middle East region as well as experience in public private partnerships are also assets.
• Proven knowledge of policy and budgetary decision- making prosses in the Government of Japan.
• In-depth experience with the UN processes, inter- governmental and member states negotiations.
• Fluency in both English and Japanese (verbal and written).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Positive performance record on drive for results and teamwork. Proven capacity to quickly absorb new information and techniques and work under tight deadlines.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are requested to apply through this online platform and attach the following documents to the application among other requirements:

• Cover letter in English
• CV both in English and Japanese
• Financial quote of all-inclusive fees (daily rate) for the consultancy in Japanese yen

Please make sure to indicate the all-inclusive fees for delivery of professional services in accordance with the assignments described under this TOR. Applications submitted without a financial quote will not be considered.

Applications must be received by 17 March 2024 through this online platform.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.