UNOPS
Background Information – Job-specific
UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.
The New York Service Cluster (NYSC) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management. The Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners’ programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York. SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.
UNOPS has signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement the project activities for the Global Programme on Nature for Development.
UNDP’s Global Programme on Nature for Development brings together three different initiatives — the Equator Initiative, and the National Biodiversity Initiative, and Learning for Nature under one program in order to identify, foster, showcase and celebrate nature-based solutions that help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at local, national, and international levels. The work of the Global Programme on Nature for Development contributes to UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2018-2021 by charting sustainable development pathways through the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems; and by promoting inclusive and effective democratic governance in the area of natural resources.
The Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizations to recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities. The Equator Initiative seeks to:
- Identify and recognize the success of Indigenous and local initiatives,
- Create opportunities and platforms to share knowledge and good practice,
- Inform policy to foster an enabling environment for Indigenous and local community action, and
- Develop the capacity of Indigenous peoples and local communities to scale-up their impact.
The National Biodiversity Initiative supports countries to manage their ecosystems and biodiversity to improve national planning and governance of biodiversity and ecosystems, and to promote resilience for sustainable development. The initative’s GEF Enabling Activities work supports developing, middle income, and small island nations in their commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): early action on the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), National Reporting. The use of spatial data for spatial planning is an important cross-cutting theme across these project areas, including through our flagship platform UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL) and to map Essential Life Support Areas (ELSAs). The UNBL, created in partnership with UN Environment (UNEP) and the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) Secretariat provides policymakers with access to 100 of the world’s best spatial datasets on nature, climate, and sustainable development for planning, monitoring, and reporting. Building on this base, our work to map ELSAs brings together the world’s best scientists and governments in 11 pilot countries to use spatial data to identify where nature-based actions to protect, manage, or restore ELSAs can deliver efficiently across national priorities for biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development. A nascent area of work is building the spatial literacy of Indigenous peoples and local communities and ensuring their participation in spatial planning.
Learning for Nature is a capacity-building offer provided by the Global Programme on Nature for Development, cutting across the three areas of work. This programme connects biodiversity policymakers, change-makers, and on-the-ground subject matter experts to facilitate the delivery of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Access to the global multi-stakeholder networks mobilized by the Equator Initiative and the National Biodiversity Initiative allows Learning for Nature to circulate knowledge while promoting best practices. Building on our learnings on the ground, we seek synergies, build linkages, and engage thousands of course participants on their journey towards sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities. Learning for Nature builds capacity to scale up efforts for nature-based sustainable development through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), webinars, self-paced e-learning modules, podcasts, and private training courses.
Knowledge Sharing is a main goal of the Equator Initiative, the National Biodiversity Initiative, and Learning for Nature. The Equator Initiative has a large series of research papers, books, and other publications focusing on local approaches to poverty reduction and conservation, informed by community-based initiatives. 180 case studies in over 30 languages have documented the Equator Prize winners’ innovative practices that deliver the win-win-win solutions that ensure social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The National Biodiversity Initiative works with partners to share knowledge on the role of spatial data in biodiversity planning, policymaking, and reporting through story maps, blogs, Google Earth stories, articles etc.
For further information please go to: www.equatorinitiative.org, www.nbsapforum.net, www.learningfornature.org, or http://www.unbiodiversitylab.org.
This is a position to support a project which UNOPS is implementing for the United Nations Development Programme. The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.
Functional Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Senior Technical Manager the Capacity Building Specialist will support the National Biodiversity Initiative’s work to engage with governments and key international stakeholders on biodiversity, climate, and development-related policies and technical guidance. This program supports developing, middle income, and small island nations in their commitments to the CBD, including early action on the post-2020 GBF, NBSAPs, and national reporting. Working in collaboration with UNEP, the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) Secretariat, and the GEF Secretariat, this project provides technical and financial support to GEF-eligible Parties to CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity). Depending on the policy cycle, the type of technical support and the amount of financial support delivered to Parties may vary.
CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) Parties are currently being mobilized to take early action on the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) by focusing on four components: national biodiversity planning and alignment, policy frameworks, monitoring and reporting frameworks, and biodiversity finance. These components, among others that may emerge, are aimed to ensure that CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) Parties have the technical and financial support they require to work towards a robust, fully resourced, NBSAP, including a strong monitoring system, that is fully aligned with the GBF.
Financial and technical support is provided through two pathways: first, grants made to Parties to undertake national actions, and second, a global coordination grant that will make it possible to provide technical services to ensure national actions are effective, efficient, inclusive, and of the highest technical standards. The project’s Technical Support Unit (TSU) is being administered in coordination with SCBD and UNEP across 140. The project is additionally responsible for administrating national work for the 69 countries that receive GEF funding, which are primarily located in Latin America and Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Asia.
The Capacity Building Specialist will also support governments to mainstream their commitments to nature, including alignment across the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity), UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda, among others. The Mapping Nature for People and Planet project supports governments and other stakeholders to use spatial data in their biodiversity planning and monitoring with the purpose of ensuring policy coherence and the production of robust, science-based national biodiversity policies and NBSAPs. This person will also coordinate this work, and the implementation of other projects as they emerge.
Responsibilities include the following:
Project leadership, implementation and vision
- Coordinate the implementation of the EAS project, the Mapping Nature for People and Planet project, and other projects as they emerge;
- Coordinate the work of the subteams working on policy coherence, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building;
- Develop strategy and workplan to implement the project’s vision and activities;
- Build the core project team and support their execution of the project work plan
- Act as a primary focal point across subteams working on NBSAP coherence, monitoring, policy cohesion and biodiversity finance;
- Develop and implement strategies and tracking tools to ensure the effective delivery of project activities along proposed timelines;
- Coordinate the overall workflow of activity across subteams and report to the Project Manager.
Technical tools, capacity building and policy coherence
- Convene national consultations, liaise with technical experts / government officials / other stakeholders to ensure policy coherence and the mainstreaming of nature-based policies
- Lead technical experts and policy makers project in select countries to apply technical tools and guidance that lead to greater policy coherence.
- Work with national counterparts to that technical standards for priority focal areas are streamlined in national policies, such as national biodiversity planning and alignment, policy coherence, monitoring and reporting frameworks, biodiversity finance, and spatial planning;
- Liaise with the Technical Specialist to provide feedback from the supported-countries and enhance technical guidance and its delivery accordingly
- Serve as the main focal point for participating countries, leading on the step-by-step implementation of the project, and liaising with the technical experts;
- Deliver customized support to GEF eligible countries in English, French.
- Provide support in organizing e-learning and webinar opportunities, liasing with the Learning for Nature team;
Effective stakeholder engagement process
- Lead on activities to streamline stakeholder engagement processes across projects, such as:
- Efforts to test and streamline the “ELSA for All” process for 50 countries;
- Efforts to take early action on the GBF by 69 countries, including – but not limited to – UNDP Country Offices, Ministries of Environment and associated organization;
- Liaise with governments to promote existing online tools supporting the achievement of the post-2020 GBF, including UN Biodiversity Lab and NBSAP Forum;
- Provide, upon request, strategic advice on stakeholder engagement to the Nature for Development team;
Strategic engagement and partnership
- Lead project collaborations with key partners including UNEP, WCMC, the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) Secretariat and the GEF Secretariat, supporting the implementation of the post-2020 GBF;
- Lead discussions around new funding opportunities and upcoming activities to implement the post-2020 GBF;
- Coordinate and facilitate meetings with core team and external partners;
- Ensure the ongoing collaboration from the NBSAP Forum Partnership, including UNDP, UNEP, UNEP-WCMC and CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) Secretariat;
- Build and strengthen synergies within UNDP with existing initiatives among the Nature, Climate and Energy team, providing support in mapping both National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans under the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) and Nationally Determined Contributions under the UNFCCC;
- Explore strategic opportunities for partnerships, expansion and innovation of the ongoing projects;
Promotional opportunities and event management
- Prepare conferences and trainings to engage countries to showcase successful case studies and achieved milestones;
- Serve, upon request, as the primary focal point and liaise with technical and institutional partners involved in the conference, training or event;
- Lead, upon request, or support, the development of the agenda, mobilization of speakers, and content production
- Ensure logistics, including – but not limited to – interpretation, catering, room layout, and facilitation.
Project administration & fundraising
- Liaise with the Finance and Operations Specialist in establishing projection and keep track of expenses on the yearly budget;
- Liaise with retainers and lumpsum contracts holders to track the number of remaining days, payments submissions and administrative questions;
- Provide support in the recruitment process, including draft Terms Of Reference, ranking written tests, and convening interviews.
Education/Experience/Language requirements
*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY
*CANDIDATES WITH NO UNITED NATIONS OR UNOPS EXPERIENCE ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY
Education
- Master’s degree is required preferably in environmental management, social/political sciences, international relations, political economy, development studies, geography or other related expertise areas.
- A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the Master’s degree.
Required Experience:
- A minimum of five (5) years of working experience on at least one of the following topics at a conceptual or practical level is required: international environmental policy, natural resource management, biodiversity/climate change; human/civil/indigenous/women’s rights; social entrepreneurship/impact investing; local economic development; civil society engagement and education;
- A minimum of three (3) years liaising with national counterparts (UNDP, Ministry of Environment, etc.) to design and implement a project on thematics such as biodiversity, climate, or nature-based solutions;
- At least two (2) years of coordinating a team’s work around capacity building and stakeholder engagement;
Desirable experience (the following experience is optional candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply):
- Experience in providing customized support to national focal points on policy coherence and alignment;
- Experience in engagement with Parties to the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) in capacity-building around spatial data and policy development;
- Experience conducting virtual capacity-building activities is an advantage;
- Experience in writing press releases, blogs, and other forms of communications is an advantage; and
- Experience working within the UN system, UNEP, and the SCBD (Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity) is an advantage.
Language:
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and French are required;
- Knowledge of additional languages is an advantage.
Competencies
Strategic Perspective
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)
Integrity and Inclusion
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.
Leading Self and Others
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.
Partnering
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).
Results Orientation
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.
Agility
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.
Solution Focused
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.
Effective Communication
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.
Contract type, level and duration
Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement (I-ICA 2 / ICSC10)
Contract duration: Ongoing contract (subject to good performance, availability of funds, organizational requirements and project duration)
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 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
- 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.
How to apply
Please click on the link below to apply:
https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=25092