Technical Specialist – Environmental (Strategic Advisor, Science and Policy)

Background Information – Job-specific

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, ecosystems, and development, and to promote resilience for sustainable development. The National Biodiversity Initiative works in three project areas to support countries in their commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity: National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) Support, National Reporting, and Capacity Building. The use of spatial data for spatial planning is an important cross-cutting theme across these project areas, including our flagship platform UN Biodiversity Lab and our work to map Essential Life Support Areas (ELSAs). The UN Biodiversity Lab, created in partnership with UN Environment and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, 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/

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

UNOPS is seeking the support of a Technical Specialist – Environmental [Strategic Advisor, Science and Policy] to advance the Global Programme on Nature for Development’s work to support governments to use spatial data and systematic conservation planning in their efforts to plan, implement, monitor, and report on their commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the other Rio Conventions, and the nature-based elements of the UN 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. The goal of the assignment is to lead and support a variety of projects and initiatives that bring together the world’s governments, UN agencies, and leading scientists to develop and implement approaches around the globe to identify where nature-based actions to protect, manage, or restore biodiversity and ecosystems can more effectively and efficiently meet national commitments and priorities for biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development.
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 incumbent will perform the following duties and responsibilities:

Guidance and Support for Project Implementation

• Provide guidance on the Global Programme’s work to advance the use of spatial planning to support effective and efficient implementation of national policies related to biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development.

• With inputs from supervisor, develop and iterate UNDP’s work to integrate science and policy to identify essential life support areas, leading to products that supports governments at global, national, and sub-national scales.

• Provide oversight on the technical elements of the project in collaboration with scientific advisors, governments, and other partners.

• Strengthen partnerships with project collaborators, including various UN agencies, NGOs/foundations, private sector entities, among others.

• With inputs from supervisor, convene a global advisory committee to review, guide, and advance UNDP’s work around spatial planning, and refine project products and workflows based on their input.

• Strengthen relationships with stakeholders at all levels by supporting development and execution of national consultations and capacity building opportunities.

• In coordination with supervisor, identify and follow through on key opportunities and synergies to integrate outcomes and learnings from this workstream into other initiatives of the Global Programme on Nature for Development and UNDP as a whole.

Technical Quality Assurance for Activities

• Ensure achievement of key deliverables related to spatial planning and biodiversity reporting, including liaising with government authorities and other partners.

• Assess policy, science, and stakeholder engagement workstreams to ensure that scientific products are relevant to national policy and usable by stakeholders.

• Review product, communications, and peer-reviewed publications, drawing in scientific advisors and policy experts where relevant to ensure technical excellence.

• Draft budgets and support revisions to reflect team time and resources needed to implement project workstreams and deliverables.

• In close coordination with supervisor, provide day-to-day oversight and guidance to project team members to ensure their work contributes to the strategic vision and project priorities.

• Ensure the achievement of delivery targets and results.

• Prepare reports to donors.

• Develop proposals for donors.

Technical Tools

• Co-manage the UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL) platform in partnership with the UNEP-designated co-manager, taking responsibility from strategic planning to tactical delivery and ensuring user needs are fully and appropriately reflected through the product development and implementation process.

• In consultation with the UNBL advisory committee and co-manager, advance the development and implementation of UNBL’s strategic plan.

• Liaise with UNBL data and technical committee, user engagement committee, and contracted consultants to propose and implement pathways to deliver on the UNBL strategic plan.

• Identify and shepherd enhancements and incremental versions of UNBL through the development cycle ensuring that specifications are built and delivered on time and on budget.

• Develop and oversee implementation of a communications and capacity building strategy for UNBL to train key users to access and utilize the platform to develop plans, implement actions, and monitor progress for nature, climate, and human well-being.

• Advance the integration of UNBL and the webtool used to identify essential life support areas with the end goal of a computationally efficient, user-friendly tool that integrates existing functionalities.

• Provide technical support, guidance and tools to stakeholders with the purpose of building their capacity use rigorous science to identify actions to achieve policy commitments.

Strategic Communications and Knowledge Sharing

• Support the synthesis of lessons and best practices and knowledge, including the development of knowledge materials.

• Respond to queries on programme/project progress, impacts and lessons.

• Provide peer review, comment on, and seek to improve the technical quality of programmes/projects, policies, practices, guidelines, advisory notes, publications, and communications products.

• Support the development and application of guidance, tools, approaches and procedures that help to achieve synergies among national and global actions to achieve national commitments to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the other Rio Conventions, and the nature-based elements of the UN 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

International Events

• Support engagement strategy, in consultation with UNDP stakeholders, at international events associated with the Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• Present project results and lessons learned at major international forums.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

a. Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent), preferably in geography, environmental management/sciences, biology, international relations, sustainable development, social/political science, geosciences, anthropology and/or other relevant field is required.

• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in any of the above-mentioned fields may be accepted with 2 additional years of relevant work experience.

b. Work Experience
Required:

• A minimum of 5 years of working experience on at least one of the following topics at a project management level is required: , use of spatial data for development planning or conservation, natural resource management at national or local levels, biodiversity protection, or adaptation/mitigation of/to climate change.

• Experience supporting use of spatial data for conservation implementation, monitoring, and/or reporting is required.

Desirable:(The following experiences are optional. Candidates who do not have them are welcome to apply)

• Experience in strategic engagement with environmental processes and mechanisms, including but not limited to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an asset.

• Experience developing major international events, workshops, and communication products to support national and local action for conservation and sustainable development is an asset.

• Experience with conservation indicators and metrics is an asset;

• Experience with advocacy and engagement of Indigenous peoples and local communities is an asset.

• Experience in the UN system, particularly with UNDP Country Offices and UN Environment Programme is an asset.

c. Languages

• Fluency in English (read, write, speak) is required.

• Fluency in other UN languages, particularly Spanish, is an asset.