Chief Technical Adviser (CTA) - Retainer

Specific tasks and responsibilities

Project management support

• Provide overall technical backstopping for the project
• Provide specific support at project start-up to set-up strong bases for an effective project implementation including capacity building on project and team management as well as ecosystem-based adaptation as needed
• Provide advice on best suitable approaches and methodologies for the timely achievement of project targets and objectives
• Assist the Project Coordinator in planning the implementation of project activities, and in adjusting the project Results Framework, Work Plan and Budget as required and in line with corporate requirements
• Draft or review, as requested, ToRs for technical consultancies and sub-contracts, and assist in the selection and recruitment process
•  Undertake technical review and provide quality assurance of project outputs (e.g., technical reports, studies and assessments) and field activities
• Provide guidance and technical inputs to the work carried out by national and international consultants and/or companies
•  Assist in monitoring the technical quality of project M&E systems (including indicators and targets)
• Ensure that economic, environmental and social safeguards are fully integrated and promoted throughout project implementation - Identify risks, issues and challenges affecting project implementation and support the project team to put in place mitigation measures to overcome those blockages
• Coordinate the preparation of the annual reports including the Project Implementation Reviews (PIRs) and Half Year Reports (HYR)
•  Assist staff and consultants in the conduct of project reviews and evaluations, and in revisions of the implementation strategy and work plan, based on review and evaluation results
• Make recommendations to the Project Steering Committee (PSC) for more effective implementation and coordination of project activities
• Support the project team in administrative and financial reporting
• Provide advice and assist in knowledge management, communications and awareness-raising, and document lessons and good practices from project implementation
• Where requested, advise the project coordinator in liaison work with project partners, donor organizations, NGOs and other groups to ensure the effective coordination of project activities
• Support the follow-up on project co-financing (collaboration with co-financing partners and regular reporting on sources and amounts)
• Perform any other tasks as may be requested by the Project Team, the Project Steering Committee, and the UNEP Task Manager

Gender mainstreaming support  

1. Support and ensure the implementation and timely completion of all activities specified in the Gender Action Plan available in Annex 1 and divided in the five following categories: 

• Actions that guide the participatory approach to the project
• Actions that better define gender and EbA and establish gender-sensitive baseline for the EbA project
• Actions that improve the capacity to sustainably and consistently integrate gender into EbA
• Actions that ensure that EbA in the project area is gender-responsive
• Actions that assure the project’s accountability to a gender-responsive approach

 2. Monitor, promote and ensure the participation of women in project activities including training and capacity building at the institutional and community level to ensure that project overall direct beneficiary target of 60% of women is achieved.
3. Promote gender mainstreaming in the project planning, implementation and M&E through supporting among others: 

• The review of the project activity framework and intervention strategy
• The development of annual project workplans
• The development of relevant ToRs and workshop/training agenda/presentations
• The review of key inputs and deliverables
• The publication of key knowledge and substantive products and other material
• The design and regular revision of key M&E frameworks (indicators, targets) and tools (field surveys, questionnaires, participant feedback)
• The regular reporting of progresses
• The collection of lessons learned and dissemination of good practices
• Capacity-building of the project team and all relevant consultants on gender and environment 

• Institutional and technical gap analyses
• Participatory mapping of resources use, adaptive capacity and vulnerability
• Climate Vulnerability Capacity Assessments
• Economic analyses
• Baseline study
• Best practice    database, communities of practice and the learning exchange activities 
• Community perception surveys 
• Decision-making tools
• Policy briefs
• EbA protocols of intervention
• Awareness-raising activities including media campaigns and public information sessions

7. Perform any other tasks as may be requested by the Project Team, the Project Steering Committee, and the UNEP Task Manager.

Reporting lines

The Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) will be contracted and paid by the United Nations. He/she will report to the UNEP Climate Change Adaptation Unit Task Manager and then to the National Project Director of MTA National Directorate of Environment (DINAB) who is also the chair of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and UNEP Climate Change Adaptation Unit Task Manager. In the performance of his/her duties, the CTA will work in close collaboration with the project team including the National Coordinator, the Gender and Environment officer, the M&E officer and the communication officer, MTA DINAB (technical lead) and FNDS (responsible for the project financial management). The CTA will be expected to conduct regular missions to the country (at least one per year). Each mission should result in a mission report listing implementation progress for the project as a whole and by component as well as highlighting challenges, and making recommendations for the next implementation period; The rest of the work will be carried out home-based through internet communications.
  Outputs:

•  Annual gender-responsive work plans and budget revisions including variance analysis are developed and submitted to UNEP 
• Mission reports including implementation progress as well as challenges and recommendations are shared with the project national coordinator and UNEP task manager within two weeks of the end of the mission 
• Annual Progress Implementation Review (PIR) and Half Year Reports (HYR) reports elaborated and submitted to UNEP
• ToRs for consultants, sub-contracts, workshop agenda and presentations are developed or reviewed and integrate gender as required
• Written reviews of technical reports and key inputs shared with relevant consultants and contractors and integrating gender as required.
• Key project management documents such as expenditure reports, procurement plans, inventory of non-expendable expenditure, audit reports revised before submission to MTA/FNDS and UNEP
• Key project substantial products, technical material, M&E tools and knowledge publications revised and integrate gender as required before being submitted for approval to MTA and UNEP and presented to the PSC
• Regular progress reports on the implementation of the Gender Action Plan identifying risks, challenges and mitigating solutions submitted to the MTA and UNEP

• An advanced University degree in the area of natural resource management, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, environmental management, social sciences, gender studies or any related fields of study is required.
• Bachelors degree with additional 2 years of relevant working experience may also be considered in lieu of an advanced University degree.

• At least 5 years of professional experience in lead technical positions in planning and management of environmental and/or climate change programmes required
• Past experience working on gender issues and mainstreaming is required 
• Demonstrated experience in institutional strengthening and capacity-building is desired.
• Ability to effectively work in and coordinate with a large, multidisciplinary team of experts and consultants is desired.
• Strong skills in project monitoring and evaluation is an added advantage 
• Previous experience with GEF projects and familiarity with the GEF and UN Environment Gender Equality Gender Marker, Environment and Social Safeguards system added advantage 
• Experience of working and collaborating with developing country governments is an added advantage 

• Excellent oral and writing skills in both English 
• Proficiency in Portuguese would be a strong advantage 

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA) Contract level: IICA 2
Contract duration: Home-based Retainer contract with regular missions in Mozambique (Maputo and surroundings) - One year initially, renewable over the whole project duration of five (5 years) subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability'

As per UNOPS policy retainer positions in duty stations where the NPO (National Professional Officer) category has been established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), a home-based retainer contract will be issued as LICA Support or LICA Specialist position.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Kenya Multi-Country Office (KEMCO)

The Kenya Multi-Country Office (KEMCO) is based in Nairobi and is responsible for 15 countries in East and Southern Africa, with ongoing projects in Eritrea, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

UNOPS has worked in Kenya since 1995, where it manages a growing portfolio of engagements, providing project management, infrastructure, procurement, transactional, and financial management services. From renovations of elementary schools in Kenya to improving maternal and child health, KEMCO works to provide practical solutions to support sustainable growth and development in the region. UNOPS KEMCO helps partners achieve their project goals in sectors including: governance, education, health, the environment, grant management and rural development. UNOPS KEMCO has over twenty years of experience working in the region, including on large scale infrastructure projects. With a flexible and responsive presence throughout the region, UNOPS is able to scale up rapidly, through various mechanisms into high-risk areas which have proven to be beneficial to partners.