Programme Analyst - Environment, Climate & Energy

Harare

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Harare
Grade: Junior level - NO-B, National Professional Officer - Locally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
- Environment
- Poverty Reduction
- Meteorology, Geology and Geography
- Renewable Energy sector
- Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction
- Climate Change
- ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
- Project and Programme Management
Closing Date: Closed

Background

Climate change continues to be a big challenge in Zimbabwe. It affects the opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods and is likely to present more developmental challenges in the years to come. Rural and Urban communities in Zimbabwe are increasingly affected by climate change related risks such as prolonged dry spells, droughts, water stress and floods, which result in agricultural losses, food insecurity, infrastructure damage and increased human-wildlife conflict. The country’s natural ecosystems on which communities depend, continues to be threatened by over-exploitation and inappropriate management. From 1990 to 2010, the country has been among the top ten countries with the largest annual net loss of forest area. The current energy challenges faced by the country and the traditional dependency on biomass for energy exert enormous pressure on natural forests. The fragile ecology, a degraded natural resource base, increasing population pressure overdependence on climate sensitive economic sectors particularly agriculture and limited livelihood asset base, are interacting to threaten the livelihoods of millions of rural households particularly women;

At the same time, the National Climate Change Response Strategy points to weak technical capacity, limited knowledge and inadequate financing as factors reducing the effectiveness of resource users and government’s efforts towards climate proofing development programs at the local, district and national levels;

In order to address these complex challenges, UNDP Zimbabwe is supporting the Government of Zimbabwe to strengthen its climate response by supporting climate change adaptation investments, wider ecosystems management and disaster risk management initiatives at national, subnational and grassroots levels. This support is building on the success of the past and ongoing programs on biodiversity conservation, environmental management, energy and climate change and a solid base of national strategies, planning and policy frameworks. Key areas of support in the past include the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and sustainable wildlife management plans, the National Climate Change Response Strategy and the Low Emission Development Strategy, the Climate, Renewable Energy and Forestry Policies, the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Framework and related disaster risk reduction planning;

UNDP acknowledges that the close linkages between environmental management, climate change, energy, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development, require a comprehensive and coordinated program that catalyzes the achievement of national targets set out in the Transitional Stabilization Program as well as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Paris Agreement.

UNDP is also supporting the Government of Zimbabwe towards climate change mitigation whose commitments are largely spelt out in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). The NDC is the overarching framework to guide the development of Zimbabwe’s low carbon development pathway and a green economy. UNDP believes that a well-coordinated and supported Low Carbon Development Strategy will help Zimbabwe achieve most of the targets in the NDCs. As such partnership engagements and resource mobilization at global, regional, national and subnational level are important in achieving the mitigation objectives;

The interlinkages of the climate crisis and the wider environmental crisis and the complex relationship with poverty, inequality and wider economic dimensions is creating an intense and challenging situation. This requires new ways of responding and there is a need to catalyze innovative and effective solutions – ranging from integrated policy reforms, strengthened partnerships, landscape wide risk informed programming and innovative financing for scaled up action on mitigation and adaptation;

The success of this program relies on the leadership of a program analyst that is ready to take up the challenge of developing innovative and effective solutions, delivering results and building and deepening partnerships for transformational change;

The Environment, Climate Change and Energy Analyst is required to spearhead and develop the Climate Change, Energy and related programs. S/he will work under the overall guidance of the UNDP Head of Poverty Reduction, Environment and Climate Change Unit to pursue the UNDP agenda as spelt out in the Zimbabwe Country Program Document.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensuring innovation leadership and strategic direction of UNDP’s programming in the area of Climate Change, Energy and Environment;

Provides an overall strategic vision with a view to building national capacities for gender sensitive climate change response, related disaster management and sustainable ecosystems management;
Effectively contribute to the development of innovative solutions and the design of programs that sufficiently respond to the needs of the sector;
Management of the environment, energy, climate change and related disaster risk management programs ensuring innovative and relevant solutions are provided and suitably programmed to respond to the intensifying impacts and climate change and complexities of the social, economic and other environmental conditions;
Pursuing strong thematic synergies and collaboration in the Country Programme and ensuring environment, climate change and related risks management approaches and gender considerations deliver on other dividends;
Facilitates traditional and nontraditional strategic partnerships for resource mobilization and program implementation;
Provision of top-quality policy advice services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge building and management;
Thorough analysis of the political, social and economic situation in the country and support to the preparation/revision and sound reporting of UNDAF, country programme document (CPD) and results, specific project results;
Ensure timely development of quality work plans and programme/project technical and financial reports and other documents;
Drafting speeches, briefing notes, concept notes;

Ensures effective support to the Unit Head for the management and supervision of the Environment, Climate Change and Energy Programme team focusing on quality control of the full cycle of programming from formulation to implementation achieving the following results:

Effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets and monitoring achievement of results;
Support the design and formulation of CO programme within the area of responsibility, translating UNDP priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies;
Support in the strategic oversight of planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring of the programme, tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations;
Effective monitoring, measuring the impact of the CO programme and evaluation. Constant monitoring and analysis of the programme environment, timely readjustment of programme;
Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported;
Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donor reports;
Advise on organization of cost-recovery system for the services provided by the CO to projects;

Establishes and maintains strategic partnerships and supports resource mobilization in cooperation with the policy and Management Support teams, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Implementation of the CO partnerships and resources mobilization strategies to achieve program outcomes placing great emphasis on engagement of new nontraditional partners;
Strongly positions UNDP in the UN family through identification of strategic opportunities for UNDP in its relationship with other UN Agencies;
Implementation of CO strategy for partnering with UN Agencies around ZUNDAF, Sustainable Development Goals and other joint programming for implementation of UN Reform;
Creation and coordination of partnerships with the UN Agencies, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society etc.;
Determination of programmatic areas of cooperation, based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities ensuring that UNDP’s program support remains relevant;
Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost-sharing;

Ensures provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

Provision of sound technical advice and coordination of development of national policies and institutions that will address the country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe and other strategic partners;
Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues;
Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to formulation of key national policies;

Establishment of advocacy networks at national level and linked to international networks. Relevant, high-impact advocacy campaigns are implemented with key partners.

Identification, synthesis and dissemination of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to country programme policy goals;
Establishment of inclusive advocacy networks at national level and linked to international networks;
Facilitate relevant, high-impact advocacy campaigns in partnership with Government, NGOs, CBOs, Private Sector and Donors;
Facilitate international knowledge exchange and technology transfer.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

Contributing to results through provision of information

Provides information for linkages across programme activities to help identify critical points of integration;
Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
Provides background information to identify opportunities for project development and helps drafting proposals;
Participates in the formulation of project proposals;

Building Strategic Partnerships

Identifying and building partnerships

Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda;
Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
Promotes UNDP’s agenda in inter-agency meetings;

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches

Developing new approaches

Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals;
Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations;
Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor;

Resource Mobilization

Implementing resource mobilization strategies

Analyzes information on potential bilateral donors and national counterparts to recommend a strategic approach;
Identifies and compiles lessons learned;
Develops a resource mobilization strategy at the country level;

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

Developing tools and mechanisms

Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms;

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

In-depth knowledge of the subject-matter

Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines;
Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments;

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals

Analysis and creation of messages and strategies

Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses;
Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level;

Client Orientation

Contributing to positive outcomes for the client

Anticipates client needs;
Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective;
Solicits feedback on service provision and quality;

Core Competencies:

Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
Building support and political acumen;
Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
Building and promoting effective teams;
Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking;

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Natural Sciences, Environmental Studies, Development Studies, International Relations, Business/Public Administration, or other development-related field;

Experience:

At least two years of relevant experience at the national or international level in the area of environment, energy and climate change preferably in the UN and/or international organizations;
Experience in managing staff and operational systems and establishing inter-relationships among international organizations and national governments in the area of environment, energy and climate change programming;
Knowledge of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and international negotiation processes;
Experience in providing technical and advisory services to Government and key stakeholders;
Knowledge and experience of UNDP and UN system policies ad programming is desirable;

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and one national language.

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

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.

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