Programme Specialist

Central Africa is home to the second largest tropical rainforest in the world. Forest loss is accelerating despite ongoing efforts, as government action alone has not been sufficient to establish an effective balance between the interests of the forest and of economic development.

On this basis, a coalition of willing donors – Norway, European Union, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, and South Korea – together with Central African partner countries – Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Gabon – have entered in 2015 into a collaborative partnership to establish in partnership with the United Nations, the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI). The objective of this initiative is to recognize and preserve the value of the forests in the region to mitigate climate change, reduce poverty, and contribute to sustainable development. This objective will be attained through the implementation of country-led, national scale REDD+ and Low Emissions Development (LED) investment frameworks that include policy reforms and measures to address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and promote sustainable development.

The CAFI Trust Fund is the principal means to implement the Central African Forest Initiative. It is administered by the MPTF-Office (http://mptf.undp.org/factsheet/fund/AFI00). As per the updated Fund Terms of Reference and the direct cost Secretariat project document, the UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTFO) is hosting the CAFI Secretariat providing the secretariat administrative services under the oversight of the CAFI Executive Board and other participating UN organizations (UNDP, UNCDF, FAO, UN-Habitat, UNFPA, and UNEP).

On November 2, 2021, a 2nd Letter of Intent was signed between CAFI and the Government of DRC. CAFI. The programming of a new portfolio for the second phase of the partnership started. Meanwhile nearly 200 million US$ of investments are already implemented under the first Letter of Intent since 2016. In this context, CAFI is supporting the DRC government by providing advice to the planning and monitoring of CAFI investments and international technical assistance to strengthen national capacities. 

Under the supervision of the Technical Specialist (Programming) P4 in DRC, the IPSA is contributing to programme management within the CAFI portfolio in DRC, ensuring coherence in programme development, approval, monitoring and evaluation, technical assistance and other core fronts in the field of programme management. 

1. Reviews the annual work planning/target setting for CAFI unit in DRC, backs-up the Programme Specialists in reviewing workplans, keeps track of deadlines and flags bottlenecks across the CAFI unit in DRC.
2. Analyzes annual development and management results of CAFI portfolio, in collaboration with CAFI and external counterparts, setting and taking due diligence on indicators and other parameters on performance.
3. Develop tools to monitor the performance of the National REDD Fund against the KPI agreed between the Government of DRC and CAFI 
4. Develop tools to monitor the development and implementation of the CAFI and FONAREDD portfolios according to the rules, regulations and policies of the FONAREDD and CAFI trust funds; 
5. Contribute to the development of policies, guidelines and templates for the development and implementation of the CAFI portfolio; 
6. Monitors the executing agencies’ performance, using various frameworks for measurement of results-based performance & monitoring, including integrated workplans, audit reports, BSC targets, etc. 
7. Monitors executing agencies  implementation of M&E systems and tools, flagging issues or good practices, tracking preparation of evaluation plans and follow-up on implementation of evaluation recommendations, in collaboration with the M&E Specialist for DRC.
8. As a “one-stop-shop” facilitator, provides substantive conceptual and policy support to executing agencies during the formulation, approval, implementation of programming and reporting; preparation of briefs, position papers and reports the Management.
9. Provides and/or coordinates the provision of technical guidance, consultation, related support to clientele within area of program focus; provides day-to-day problem solving as necessary on day-to-day program-related needs and issues.
10. Reviews project delivery status reports prepared and breakdown of expenditures to date. Effective monitoring and follow-up on financial targets in terms of programme delivery.
11. Contributes to the monitoring, compilation and review of quarterly and annual progress reports, mid-term reviews, maintaining detailed database on projects and ensuring timely donor reporting;
12. Monitors and assures for the timely delivery of results against annual work plans.
13. Researches and prepares technical notes on relevant implementing partners, and supports the CAFI Secretariat in the process related to developing agreements with and, as appropriate, accreditation, new implementing partners. 
14. Prepares technical notes and presentations to the CAFI Secretariat and Executive Board as well as CAFI’s counterparts from the DRC government, on the progress of developing and operationalising the program portfolio.
15. Facilitates the technical coordination of consultancies engaged by CAFI, contributing to mobilisation of consultants, drafting terms of reference, validation of deliverables, etc.
16. Advises on operating goals and objectives for the program; identifies opportunities to enhance program operations in order to achieve greater efficiencies and effectiveness and to fulfill program objectives outlined within the contract/grant.
17. Participates in the development and implementation of Expression of Interests across all CAFI portfolios, ensuring the draft, technical review and conclusion of EoIs.

Ensures provision of top-quality advisory services, facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the CAFI results, as well as programme monitoring activities, in collaboration with M&E Specialist:

1. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to CAFI result framework .
2. Identification and synthesis of project results directly linked to CAFI result framework in close collaboration with the CAFI M&E team, for the CAFI reporting exercice; 
3. Ensure that implementing agencies / entities are well-informed in due time of the CAFI legal and operational framework for project development and implementation; 
4. Liaison with the funded projects on a regular basis to assess progress and constraints on the implementation of programmes.
5. Organization of training, information and/or capacity building sessions for the FONAREDD staff on programme and M&E, as well as for CAFI/FONAREDD funded project teams.
6. Oversees and/or coordinates the collection, compilation, and analysis of program activity data; develops, writes, edits, and presents comprehensive statistical and narrative program reports and evaluations.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Programme Specialist will be supervised by the Technical Specialist (Programming) P4 in DRC, under the team leadership of the Chief Programming P5 in Geneva.