Grade: AS-C

Deadline: 14 June 2020

Background

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a multilateral fund created to make significant and ambitious contributions to the global efforts to combat climate change. The GCF contributes to achieving the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. In the context of sustainable development, the GCF aims to promote a paradigm shift towards low-emission and climate-resilient development pathways by providing support to developing countries to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate change, while accounting for their needs and supporting particularly those that are vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The GCF is governed by a Board, composed of an equal number of members from developed and developing countries. It is operated by an independent Secretariat headed by an Executive Director. 

The Independent Evaluation Office (IEU) of the GCF, is mandated by the GCF Board under paragraph 60 of its governing instrument inform its decision making. Specifically, the governing instrument states “… the Board will establish an operationally independent evaluation unit as part of the core structure of the Fund. The head of the unit will be selected by, and will report to, the Board. The frequency and types of evaluation to be conducted will be specified by the unit in agreement with the Board.” 

The IEU has several objectives:   

(a)    Informing decision-making by the Board and identifying and disseminating lessons learned, contributing to guiding the GCF and stakeholders as a learning institution, providing strategic guidance;

(b)    Conducting periodic independent evaluations of GCF performance to objectively assess the results of the GCF and the effectiveness and efficiency of its activities; and

(c)    Providing evaluation reports to the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement for purposes of periodic reviews of the Financial Mechanism.  

The IEU has a mandate for both discharging an accountability function and supporting a learning function.   These are central to the GCF being a learning organization as laid out in its Governing Instrument and its initial strategic plan.  The responsibilities of the IEU are as follows:

(d)    Evaluation: The IEU will undertake independent overall, portfolio, country, thematic, programme evaluations that inform GCF strategic result areas.  In key cases, it will also support and undertake project evaluations. The IEU will use relevant and innovative methods and an independent peer-review mechanism that will provide guidance on independent evaluations. The vision, criteria and guidelines for these will be laid out in the Independent evaluation policy. The IEU is also mandated to independently peer review and attest the quality of GCF self-evaluation; 
(e)    Advisory and capacity support: The IEU is required to advise the Board by synthesizing findings and lessons learned from its evaluations. These findings and lessons learned are expected to also inform the Executive Director of the Secretariat and other GCF stakeholders.  The IEU will engage closely with the independent evaluation units of intermediaries and implementing entities of the GCF, including national designated authorities (NDAs) and accredited entities (AEs). It will provide support to catalyse learning and build and strengthen NDA and AE evaluation capacity. It will also provide guidelines and support evaluation-related research that helps produce rigorous evidence in GCF result areas;
(f)    Learning: The IEU will support the GCF in its learning function by ensuring that recommendations from independent evaluations are incorporated into the Secretariat’s functioning and processes.  This includes recommending possible improvements to the GCF performance indicators and its initial results framework, after accounting for international experience and the results of evaluation; 
(g)    Engagement: The IEU will actively participate in relevant evaluation networks to ensure that it is at the frontier of evaluation practice. The IEU will involve its own staff and staff from NDAs and AEs in evaluations wherever feasible and appropriate.  In addition, the IEU will support knowledge hubs of low-emission and climate-resilient pathways.  

For more information on the IEU, its mandate and publications, please see  IEU website at www.ieu.greenclimate.fund 

Summary of the Role

Under the overall direction of the Head of the Independent Evaluation Unit, the team assistant will be responsible for the execution, liaison and coordination of logistical and administrative tasks in the IEU. S/he will be reporting to the Head of the IEU and/or the Evaluation Specialist-Admin and legal.

The appointee is expected to exercise initiative, discretion, and good judgement in the analysis and resolution of issues that require technical or specialized knowledge of the IEU, policy, and procedures.  The Team Assistant should have a keen instinct to learn and develop skills that they may not have at the onset of the role. She/he will be also responsible for communicating and conveying key messages internally and externally.

Reporting relationship

S/he will be reporting to the Head of the IEU or her delegates. 

Duties and Responsibilities

•    Ensure that team meetings are well planned and its logistics are well prepared.
•    Take care of guests, visitors, speakers, bursaries and external consultants’ travel.
•    Manage the IEU Address book, SharePoint, Email, and BlueJeans accounts.
•    Respond to routine requests for information from external stakeholders/divisions within 48 hours.
•    Draft internal and external correspondence and invitation letters. 
•    Follow up and track IEU’s personnel’s leave requests and make sure that they are filed properly.
•    Advise and help IEU personnel on Administrative matters and ensure compliance with the Fund’s Administrative Instructions and Policies.
•    Coordinate and take care of new hires’ onboarding and ensure that their office space and IT equipment are arranged.
•    Manage the IEU space, ensure that the office is tidy, and that visitors have access to the Fund’s premises and that their workstations are arranged on time.
•    Procure IEU’s small amounts supplies/inventory/food and liaise with Finance for all purchase requests requiring the use of the Corporate card.
•    Prepare and plan logistical arrangements for IEU’s Evaluations, events, conferences, workshops, team retreats, board meetings and other formal and informal meetings including the IEU Lunch talks and side events (hanging printed posters for event promotion, booking rooms, sending calendar invite, recordings, sound and light systems, etc).
•    Represent the IEU in the Fund’s TA meetings as the Unit’s focal point.
•    Carry out any other administrative and support duties as requested. 
•    Providing Executive assistance to the Head of the Unit when her Assistant is absent.
•    Support the head of the IEU with any data and research assistance as well as support for presentations regularly and when required. 
•    Support the head of the IEU in ensuring good internal coordination and communication as well as good external visibility while also supporting some communication related tasks. 

Required Experience and Qualifications*

Education and relevant work experience (minimum requirement)
-    Bachelor’s degree combined with 3 years (AS-C) of relevant working experience in a professional capacity, such as experience within an international organization, development agency, governmental, private sector or non-profit sector. 
-    Extensive experience working with Senior Management.
-    Holding a Master’s degree is a distinct advantage.

Skills (i.e. technical skills)
-    Ability to articulate complex issues verbally and in writing in a concise manner.
-    Experience in an international setting, and ability to work independently and take initiative in response to the IEU's needs.
-    Ability to support the establishment and maintaining relationships with key partners – including but not limited to the ability to represent the unit and interface effectively with stakeholders.
-    Exceptional organizational skills, ability to facilitate communication between various levels of management and work independently in order to meet deadlines, ability to multi-task and pay close attention to detail
-    Willingness to cooperate with other staff in a team and contribute to a harmonious environment is essential.
-    Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures. Proven ability to work innovatively within a team environment.
-    Mature judgment and absolute commitment to confidentiality.
-    Familiarity with climate change topics, public health and international politics is desirable.
-    Excellent communication skills and high emotional quotient.
-    Strong competence and professional autonomy in the use of standard software programmes: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive and Access.
-    High degree of tact and discretion in dealing with internal and external clients, staff and managers at all levels, and in handling confidential and sensitive information.
-    Strong initiative and record of performance with low supervisory requirements to function effectively as a member of a team within high pressure work environment.
-    Capacity to work long hours as needed.

Language requirements
-    Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential for this position; knowledge of another UN language would be an advantage.

*The person assessed by the Selection Panel as most suitable for the position will be proposed for appointment. Selection among short-listed candidates will also take into account performance at interview, appropriate testing, and references. Applications from women and nationals of developing countries are strongly encouraged.