Assistant Resident Represenative - Energy, Environment and Climate Change Cluster

The majority of the population in Malawi depends on natural resources for subsistence and income. Thus, unsustainable use of these resources will make it harder to achieve food security, poverty reduction and other national development priorities. Consistent with this, the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) includes ‘Conservation of the Natural Resource Base’ under Theme 1: Sustainable Economic Growth.

The UNDP-UNEP supported Malawi Poverty and Environment Initiative aims to enhance the contribution of the sustainable management of natural resources to poverty reduction, sustainable economic growth, food security and broader achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The PEI is led by the Ministry for Economic Planning and Development (MEPD) in collaboration with Ministry of Lands, Environment and Natural Resources, UNDP Malawi, and the UNDP-UNEP Poverty and Environment Initiative. Other key partners include Ministry of Finance, Office of the President and Cabinet Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and other sector ministries.

The intended results of the Malawi PEI are: Improved integration of sustainable natural resources management into national and sectoral policy, plans and budgets in order to support the implementation of the MGDS in an environmentally sustainable manner.

The UNDP Malawi support for the implementation of the Malawi PEI is within the context of the integrated PEI-Climate Change – Disaster Risk Reduction programme, to be located within the Environment, energy and climate change cluster.

Rationale of the Post

The implementation of the Malawi Poverty and Environment Initiative has begun and UNDP Malawi will be providing programmatic and operational support. The Assistant Resident Representative post is required to lead the UNDP Malawi support to the implementation of the Malawi PEI and to coordinate the larger Climate change and DRR programme, under the supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative, Programmes.

Under the supervision Deputy Resident Representative, Programmes, and in close collaboration with the Director of Planning of MEPD and the PEI Malawi Team in MEPD, the ARR shall undertake the following tasks:

1) Programme and operational support to the Malawi PEI implementation

Provide technical comments and other programmatic assistance for:

• Preparation and revision of Annual Work Plans and budgets;
• Preparation of TORs, work-plans and budgets for specific PEI Malawi activities; 
•  Provide comments on draft PEI Malawi outputs to ensure consistency with TORs etc and adequate quality; 
• Monitoring overall programme implementation and keeping the PEI Africa team in Nairobi regularly updated. 

Assist in ensuring timely operational support to PEI Malawi implementation by:

• Monitoring and reviewing financial reports and other financial and administrative requirements and processes that are the responsibility of MEPD;
• Managing ATLAS with respect to PEI Malawi;
• Working with UNDP Malawi operations to ensure UNDP operational support (e.g. procurement) for PEI Malawi occurs in a timely manner;
• Preparing ATLAS and any other financial reports for the PEI Africa team.

2) Advisory support for the co-ordinated implementation of the UNDP Malawi MDG cluster PEI-Climate Change- Disaster Risk Reduction work programme.  Provide programme implementation support to the DRR (P):

• Advice on programmatic coherence and co-ordination between the PEI-CC-DRR elements of the environment, energy and climate change cluster work programme;
• Advice on how to ensure coherence and co-ordinated support to Government of Malawi with respect to PEI-CC-DRR;
• Advice on programmatic and operational issues that impact or may impact on the effective and efficient implementation of the PEI-CC-DRR work programme (within Government, donors or UNDP);
• Advice on TORs for consultants and advisory support (e.g. from the UNDP regional service centre in South Africa);
• Advice and drafting of PEI-CC-DRR related inputs to the Malawi UNDAF and other UNCT processes.
• Provide strategic guidance and advice to senior management on the implementation of this program including advancing strategic goals for UNDP
• Liaise with partners and government and actively pursue funding opportunities.
• Ensure effective donor reporting on all issues related to this program and actively prepare new program proposals in conjunction with other program / operations colleagues.

3) Liaison with MEPD, other Government of Malawi partners, FAO and other UN agencies and offices, donor partners and PEI Africa.  Act as UNDP Malawi focal point for the PEI Malawi:

• Ensure a close working relationship with the PEI Malawi team in MEPD, the Climate Change advisor in MEPD, MEPD management and other GoM PEI implementation partners;
• Ensure a close working relationship with FAO, the prime PEI UN System partner in Malawi, and with other members of the UNCT;
• Ensure donors are kept updated on PEI, CC and DRR progress;
• Identify and follow-up in a timely manner on opportunities for increased donor support and collaboration;
• Liaise with UNDP BDP/EEG staff in UNDP HQ and UNDP regional centre, particularly on climate change;
• Liaise with UNDP/BCPR in Geneva on DRR;
• Ensure a close working relationship with PEI Africa in Nairobi;
• Act as focal point for UNEP and implementation of the UNDP-UNEP MOU in Malawi.

4) Supervise the PEI-CC-DRR Programme Analyst(s) and a program associate

• Lead preparation of the PA work programme;
• Set out tasks;
• Monitor quality and quantity of output.

Contribute to UNDAF and other UNCT work:

• Contribute substantively to the UNDAF work being undertaken by various UN Agencies and represent UNDP effectively at these meetings including leading on presentations and on cluster working groups as needed.

• Knowledge of UNDP project management systems is an advantage;
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to work under pressure and to establish and maintain effective work relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds;
• Strong team working skills;
• Excellent communication skills with ability to express ideas clearly, logically and effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Fluent spoken and written English;
• Computer literacy and ability to use Word Processing, Spreadsheet and office technology equipment.
  

• Experience in national development planning processes, natural resource management, environmental mainstreaming and preferably experience of sub-Saharan Africa (ideally in Southern Africa).
• A Master degree in a development related field (e.g. development, agricultural or natural resource economics) and/or natural resources policy and management with strong knowledge of linkages between environment and poverty reduction;
• Minimum of 5 years professional experience in development and environment policy related field, preferably experience in national development planning and budgeting processes;
• Knowledge and working experience in Sub-Saharan Africa and ideally Southern Africa;