Consultant - Senior Policy Advisor, Climate Change

The Senior Policy Advisor for Climate Change will liaise with team members of the climate change programme teams and other staff working on environment and climate change-related work based in HQ, Regional Service Centers and Policy Centers, and country offices, as appropriate. He/she will ensure that knowledge and information is shared with internal and external stakeholders.  He/she will support staff in their functions of policy analysis, knowledge management and capacity development. Key activities are listed below.

• Further develop and define a coordinated strategic direction for UNDP’s work on climate change which would successfully deliver the outputs agreed in the UNDP Strategic Plan 2014-2017. This would draw on the existing portfolio of work as well as an analysis of the current global/regional policy context (e.g. UNFCCC, post-2015 development agenda, Hyogo Framework for Action, etc.).  It would also take stock of other relevant portfolios within UNDP that sit outside of the climate change team (e.g. disaster risk reduction, natural resource management, governance, poverty reduction);
• Contribute, and coordinate as requested, substantive inputs for climate change programming outputs (e.g. work-plans, project documents, inception missions, workshops, technical working papers, methodologies) and
• Enhance collaboration and ensure policy coherence in the area of climate change with UNDP Country Offices, Regional Bureaux and Regional Service Centers, and other relevant HQ units and programmes. This may include: Support to substantive trainings and webinars on emerging climate change issues; Support to and coordination of regular briefings to different parts of UNDP on the status of global climate change processes and UNDP’s strategy and engagement in these processes.

Policy Dialogue, External Relations and Partnerships:  

• The Senior Policy Advisor for Climate Change will provide high-level technical advice to support UNDP’s contribution to UNFCCC-related meetings and conferences, inter-agency working groups and joint activities, meetings with donors and other external partnerships. 

This will include the following activities:

UNFCCC support:

• Contribute to strategic analyses, reporting and outreach on UNFCCC negotiations both internally for UNDP stakeholders (at all levels), and externally with key partners and UNFCCC negotiators;
• Participate and coordinate UNDP inputs, as requested, to UNFCCC mechanisms including the:  Adaptation Committee, Executive Committee on Loss and Damage, Technology Executive Committee, Nairobi Work Programme, Green Climate Fund Board, and Adaptation Fund Board, among others;
• Provide advice and backstopping support, as requested, to UNDP’s Peru Country Office in preparation for COP20 in Lima, Peru (1-11 December 2014) to address both organizational and technical needs of the government;
• Provide platform and guide discussions on negotiations, including promoting South-South collaboration in coordination with the Strategic Initiative to Address Climate Change in LDCs (the “Boots on the Ground” programme) and other climate change programming; and
• Provide inputs and support to UNDP’s participation in inter-agency groups and initiatives, including the HLCP Working Group on Climate Change and the UN Alliance for Article 6.

Climate finance readiness and Green Climate Fund support:

• Provide guidance and technical support for the implementation of projects and programmes as requested, e.g., the GCF Readiness Support Programme, Low Emission Capacity Building Programme,  including consultations with relevant stakeholders as needed;
• Provide, and coordinate as requested, policy submissions to the GCF Board, UNFCCC mechanisms (Work Programme on Long-term Finance, Standing Committee on Finance, Warsaw Platform for Effective Climate Finance), and other collaborative fora (e.g., HLCP CC working group on finance) drawing on UNDP’s experience in climate finance readiness and other finance issues; and
• Support, and coordinate as requested, UNDP’s representation at GCF Board meetings and other related events, including development of key messages for senior management and dissemination of relevant information (e.g. summaries of meetings) to UNDP staff.

• Provide inputs as needed and ensure relevant staff are up to date on progress of preparations; and
• Support preparation and planning processes done jointly with other UN Agencies, by providing inputs to background documents, planning of side events, inputs to outcome documents, and development of key messages.

• Contribute substantively to the communication and coordination of corporate climate change policy globally (e.g. briefings, speeches, inter-Bureau communication);
• Identify key issues of relevance at the global level, and coordinate UNDP’s substantive contribution through analysis of existing portfolios - e.g. Loss and Damage, Nairobi Work Programme, M&E of Adaptation, Weather Index Insurance, NAMA, NAP, National Communication and other UNFCCC-related processes and
• Contribute to relevant UNDP reporting on climate change policy support and programming (as needed—e.g. inter-bureau collaboration for ABP, IWP; ROAR; donor reporting).

Institutional Arrangement:

The Consultant will report directly to and will seek approval/acceptance of outputs from the Head and Principal Technical Advisor of the Green Low Emission Climate Resilient Development Strategies team.

The Consultant will work closely with the climate change programme teams, in particular the Policy Specialist and the Research Analyst, as well as regional environment team leaders and environmental focal points in various bureaus, and UNDP-GEF Principal Technical Advisor and Regional Technical Advisors. He/she will liaise with all of the core partners in the process of performing this work.  The initiative will provide support personnel, facilities and services where appropriate. 

• Ability to apply theory to the specific policy context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations;
• Good oral communication skills and conflict resolution competency to manage inter-group dynamics and mediate conflicting interests of varied actors;
• Good written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports;
• Demonstrated solid knowledge and relevant experience in climate change and international climate negotiation processes;
• Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high ranking members of national institutions, government and non-government; and
• Demonstrated analytical skills.  

Communication:

• Speaks and writes clearly and effectively;
• Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately;
• Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication;
• Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience and
• Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Accountability:

• Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments;
• Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards;
• Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules;
• Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments and
• Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. 

Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example and
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.  
  

Leadership and Self-Management:

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude; and
• Good team player, self starter, has ability to work under minimum supervision and maintain good relationships. 

Teamwork:

• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals;
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others;
• Places team agenda before personal agenda;
• Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position and
• Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

• A minimum of 10 years experience in global policy processes and negotiations in Multilateral Environmental Agreements, specifically in climate change;
• Excellent knowledge of a range of climate change thematic areas (adaptation, mitigation, technology transfer, and financing);
• Proven ability to strategically inform policy decisions, for example, at inter-governmental environmental meetings, including the UNFCCC Conference of Parties and its Subsidiary Bodies, and inter-agency meetings, etc;
• Experience in working and collaborating with governments on climate change issues, particularly in developing countries;
  Proven excellent oral and written communications skills in English;
• Proven ability to work in a team environment composed of people from a wide range of backgrounds and affiliations in a fast-paced and challenging environment;
• Experience in programme management in the area of climate change;
• Experience in knowledge management system and tools;
• Work experience in an international organization is required, UNDP experience an asset;
• Knowledge of UNDP rules, regulations, policies and procedures is an asset and
• Knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.