The Regional Collaboration Centre for the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia based in Dubai (RCC MENA and SA) was established in February 2019 with the signing of an MoU between UN Climate Change and the World Green Economy Organization (WGEO), with the support of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.

RCC MENA and SA is dedicated to the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Climate Change Agreement. It helps channel local, regional and global resources into climate action, to facilitate implementation of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), roadmaps for implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and other relevant policies and strategies of countries in the region.

Under the guidance of the RCC MENA and SA Regional Lead, the Administrative and Liaison Officer will support RCC MENA and SA team’s operations and procedures, including administrative, financial and communication, to ensure organizational effectiveness and efficiency, while conducting information gathering activities across the portfolio of the RCC MENA and SA’s annual workplan.

The overall objective of the position is to support the RCC MENA and SA Regional Lead in the implementation of the 2022-2023 RCC MENA and SA Annual Workplan.

Location and Duration

The assignment is for a period of one year with possibility of extension thereafter, starting as soon as possible. The Administrative and Liaison Officer is expected to be in Dubai, UAE, at the start of the contract.

Supervision

The Administrative and Liaison Officer will work under the direct supervision of the RCC MENA and South Asia Regional Lead including for performance and administrative issues. The Administrative and Liaison Officer will be contracted by the World Green Economy Organization (WGEO), the RCC MENA and South Asia host organization, will therefore be under WGEO’s employment terms and hence is not an employee of the UN Climate Change secretariat. The Administrative and Liaison Officer will receive the required ICT, office, and administrative support from the respective RCC.

Outputs

The Administrative and Liaison Officer will be asked to provide operational support to the RCC MENA and SA projects, as approved by the Steering Committee, through the following activities and outputs:

Administrative and Financial

• Oversee the administrative services including financial and logistical arrangements, office supplies, IT equipment and communication devices including following-up on administrative and financial procedures related to the operations of the RCC, with the UNFCCC and WGEO.
• Assist in organizing assigned events and workshops at the local and regional levels in alignment with the workplan of RCC MENA and SA, including at the Regional Climate Weeks (RCWs).
• Facilitate and support the work of the RCC MENA and SA technical staff under each project to ensure that activities are undertaken in timely and effective manner.
• Support in managing the Financial Agreements between the UNFCCC and the RCC, as well as WGEO RCC budget, under the supervision of the Regional Lead.
• Maintain a filing and reporting system of all financial transactions initiated by the RCC as well as files on rules, regulations, administrative instructions, and other related documentation.
• Prepare and process administrative forms relating to the official travel of RCC staff, consultants, and resource persons by liaising with the relevant offices in (WGEO, UNFCCC etc.) for the timely issuance of tickets, visas, laissez-passers, and DSA payments.
• Assist in the review of knowledge products and reports from the UNFCCC, WGEO and the RCC.
• Support the organization and delivery of the periodical RCC MENA and SA Steering Committee meetings.
• Assist in logistical tasks related to the organization of RCC meetings and maintaining the RCC meeting calendar.

Coordination and Reporting

• Report to the Regional Lead on a regular basis to highlight progress achieved, delays and plans.
• Lead on generating monitoring and evaluation reports to the relevant bodies upon request.
• Support in updating the RCC Information Management System (RIMS) to reflect quarterly progress of the RCC MENA and SA, in consultation with the team.
• Support in updating the RCC MENA and SA quarterly and annual progress reports to reflect achievements and next steps.
• Lead on the weekly progress reporting in the RCCs meeting.
• Coordinate with stakeholders on assigned tasks related to the delivery of the RCC MENA and SA activities.

Communication

• Lead on the RCC MENA and SA newsletter research, drafting and review.
• Lead on the visibility of stakeholders through organizing featured interviews in the newsletters.
• Lead on the communication of regional achievements and events in the RCC MENA and SA bulletin.
• Lead on the RCC MENA and SA website updates, in conjunction with the progress reporting.
• Support other communication products, and coordinate with the UNFCCC and WGEO communication teams.

Data Gathering and Research

• Support on research and data gathering at the regional level to support the work of RCC MENA and SA.
• Maintain the multiple databases and products of RCC MENA and South Asia through regular research and data entry, including the stakeholder mapping, the country profiles, the regional profiles, etc.

Educational background

First level university degree (Bachelor or equivalent) in environmental science, business administration, international affairs, social science, or a related discipline. Formal training in programme and project management is an asset.

Experience

• At least (3) years of relevant experience. General experience in Climate Change and Environmental issues is a strong asset.
• Experience working at an international organization is an asset.
• Experience in research, info management system and database management are desirable.

Job-related requirements and skills

• Monitoring and evaluation of progress based on pre-determined objectives, baselines and milestones and report to team lead accordingly.
• Analytical skills, excellent written and oral communication, innovative, thinking on professional, organizational and workflow issues including to interpret, adapt and propose options for changes to existing guidelines; and the ability to coordinate and engage several types of stakeholders.
• Support the organization of workshops, trainings, and other events: undertake logistical administrative and financial arrangements, in consultation with the office, for meetings and workshops.
• Prepares materials on relevant programme/project topics as may be required and selects and makes pertinent abstracts and undertakes searches for project related information.
• Operations, written and oral communication; planning skills, innovative, conceptual, and operational thinking on professional, organizational and workflow issues including to interpret, adapt and propose options for changes to existing guidelines.

Language and functional skills

Fluency in English, both oral and written. Arabic is an asset.

The UN Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centers (RCCs)

The UN Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centers (RCCs) support national climate action through capacity-building, technical assistance, and strategic networking – sourcing know-how and resources to help developing countries cope with climate change. The Regional Collaboration Centers provide facilitative support to Parties and Non-Party stakeholders in the regions towards the fulfillment of the mandates under the Kyoto Protocol, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Paris Agreement.  Since the adoption of the Paris Climate Change Agreement in December 2015, this also includes facilitative support towards the preparation and implementation of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and long-term low GHG emission development strategies (LT-LEDS).

The UN Climate Change Secretariat partners with organizations to operate six RCCs globally:

• Asia and the Pacific: RCC Bangkok (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies [IGES])
• Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia: RCC MENA and South Asia (World Green Economy Organization [WGEO])
• Eastern and Southern Africa: RCC Kampala (East African Development Bank [EADB])
• Western and Francophone Africa: RCC Lomé (Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement [BOAD])
• Caribbean: RCC St. George’s (Windward Islands Research & Education Foundation [WINDREF])
• Latin America: RCC Panama (UN Environment Programme [UNEP])