Policy Specialist, Climate Change

• Policy Dialogue, Coherence, Research and Development 
• Policy and Technical Advice/ Programme and Project Delivery Support
• Policy Positioning and Representation
• Partnerships and Resource Mobilization
• Knowledge Management

• Provide substantive inputs on climate change policy issues and strategic issues emerging from the global discourse, including international climate change negotiations, particularly related to NDCs and the Paris Agreement, long-term strategies, adaptation and climate risk management
• Provide substantive inputs for HQ policy briefs/position papers prepared in collaboration with other teams that address links between climate change and different development concerns
• Develop guidance and tools on key areas of climate change, especially related to the UNFCCC negotiations reporting requirements, the Paris Agreement and NDCs, Long-term Strategies, SDGs and other emerging issues. including testing and roll out of tools and methodologies
• Develop policy initiatives for different contexts on key emerging policy agendas, including on climate change mitigation, adaptation and finance, in collaboration with policy teams across the GPN, and bringing in perspectives and knowledge from Country Offices and the regions
• Manage and provide technical advice on UNDP’s approach and engagement to the UNFCCC negotiations and related global and regional technical meetings and events
• Coordinate UNDP’s strategy and engagement with major events and summits on climate change
• Develop relevant analysis and guidance, in close collaboration with other teams, on emerging issues of global significance on climate change, such as NDC-SDG linkages, long-term strategies and planetary health, and contribute to new research and methodologies to drive UNDP’s support.

• In collaboration with the BPPS teams in the Regional Hubs, provide technical advisory services related to climate change policy issues, including those related to implementation of the Paris Agreement, UNDP’s support to the Joint UN Approach on NDC Support, links between NDCs and SDGs, and other areas of high demand from governments
• Provide technical guidance and backstopping, as needed, for climate change programme implementation and delivery, including responding to country support requests, advising on national activities, and tracking progress of the technical work towards project objectives
• Conduct reviews of country reports, as needed, to ensure alignment with contributions to climate change programmes particularly at the global level
• Contribute inputs from the climate policy perspective – such updates from the UNFCCC negotiations, links between NDCs and SDGs, NDC implementation - to global, regional, national and sub-national programmes and projects.

• Provide inputs to UNDP’s reporting and analysis of the global processes related to climate change, including international climate change negotiations
• Provide substantive and content input to contribute to mobilizing, fostering and strengthening strategic partnerships with UN entities and other relevant bodies and provide inputs to those partnerships in support of UNDP initiatives on climate change
• Prepare briefing notes and speeches for UNDP Senior Management
• Represent UNDP in climate change-related meetings, including inter-governmental, private sector and academic fora
• Develop and promote UNDP’s global messages on climate change and collaborate with the UNDP Communications Team to promote those messages through social media film and other tools
• Provide substantive input into UNDP’s efforts on advocating the importance of climate change in various fora, including academia and civil society, with a view to deepen related political commitment and related reforms
• Support Team Leaders in engagement in UN interagency coordination in relevant policy areas by drafting briefing, preparing for and participating in meetings.

• In collaboration with BERA, support the Team Leader to engage with global partners and develop/implement resource mobilization plans under corporate guidelines, including development of proposals, and undertaking corporate and donor reporting, advocacy and information-sharing requirements
• Provide substantive inputs related to global external partnerships related to climate change
• Collaborate with UN agencies, Governments, IFIs, private sector, academia and other partners to support system-wide outcomes at global summits and events.

• Conduct analyses of strategic and emerging climate change mitigation and adaptation issues, particularly examining NDCs and linkages to SDGs, through a top-down/bottom-up flow of policy and programme work that is disseminated within UNDP; Collaborate across the Global Policy Network to document, analyze and support coherent sustainable development approaches to address issues related to NDC implementation and its links to SDG implementation processes
• Coordinate team contributions and support to corporate KM activities, at all levels to help influence/advance policy dialogue around climate change in collaboration with other teams across the GPN
• Coordinate and perform knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned on climate change, particularly related to implementation of the Paris Agreement and its links to the 2030 Agenda, and verify that knowledge sharing and content management is in line with guidelines and performed using corporate tools.

• Ability to persuade others to follow.

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

• Ability to get things done.

• Knowledge of climate change and its links to development and SDGs, and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

• Knowledge of climate change adaptation concepts and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

• Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

• Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.

• Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge.

• Ability to identify and organize programmes and projects to implement solutions and generate resources.

• Ability to manage complex relationships through pathways of knowledge exchange, capacity development, funding relationships and strategic engagement.

• Ability to scan the horizon and identify approaches and initiatives to bring into policy and programme design.

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in environmental management, sustainable development, international affairs or relations, economics, business administration, social sciences or related disciplines.

• 7 years of professional work experience providing policy advice and programme support in the area of Climate Change, particularly in different development contexts.  Experience working in developing country settings is required.
• Experience designing, managing and implementing climate-related projects
• Knowledge, understanding and experience participating in climate-related global processes, particularly related to UNFCCC negotiations and UN System coordination 
• Demonstrated experience developing innovative and analytic knowledge products on climate-related issues
• Expertise in advancing inter-disciplinary approaches through engagement and coordination of cross-team collaboration
• Demonstrated understanding of linkages between the Paris agreement and 2030 Agenda, including NDC and SDG implementation;
• Expertise in gender-responsive approaches to climate action.

• Fluency in English, both written and oral, with proven excellent writing skills.
• Working knowledge of another UN language is an asset.

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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