Programme Specialist, Climate Change and Energy (CCE)

• Guide the implementation of UNDP’s policies and approaches to climate change and sustainable energy including the identification of programming opportunities and support to ongoing programmes;
• Coordinate the production and dissemination of relevant policy guidance, analysis, and tools in close collaboration with RBLAC, the global climate change and energy policy teams in UNDP, other UN bodies, Multilateral Development Banks and other relevant partners
• Conduct relevant analysis and guidance and prepare initial drafts of technical policy advice and programme support documents that responds to country office needs;
• Provide guidance and input to Country Offices supporting them in providing policy advice and programme support on climate change and sustainable energy, including development of institutional, policy and budgetary frameworks, mainstreaming climate change and energy into development planning and budgeting, and strengthening capacities
• Support country offices in integrating policy advice in country programme frameworks and projects;
• Develop linkages with other UNDP thematic areas, to maximize synergies, optimize results on the ground, and promote a coherent approach of UNDP’s work;
• Prepare materials to support the application of integrated multi-disciplinary approaches, to meet policy and programming needs in line with corporate guidance and standards;
• Incorporate gender equality and human rights’-based approach in policy and programming work; and

• Conduct analysis of data, case evidence and research findings to distill relevant lessons from projects and programmes to support policy development and innovation in the areas of climate change mitigation and sustainable energy in close cooperation with the relevant GEF teams;
• Review and assess policies in relevant thematic area with the objective to identify gaps and opportunities for development of new policies and to guide the overall team priorities and workplans; 
• Contribute to development of guidance in the specific thematic area, and related tools for the implementation of global policy standards, including coordinating testing and rolling out of tools and methodologies;
• Ensure thematic linkages between global policy development and sustainable energy/ climate mitigation and adaptation programming including, on topics such as energy access, renewable energy and energy efficiency;
• Apply integrated multi-disciplinary approaches, to meet policy and programming needs in line with corporate guidance and standards;
• Take part in the process of analyzing, improving and adapting policies for different contexts on key emerging policy agendas based on policy initiatives designed; 
• Provide context input to support the quality assurance of policy services and foster policy innovation in the specific thematic area of climate change and energy to enhance programme delivery.

• Ensure coherence in terms of messaging and conceptual positioning of UNDP in the climate change and sustainable energy spaces vis a vis partners and clients;
• Provide high-level technical advice to support UNDP’s contribution to key regional policy processes; and
• Advocate policy and positioning of the thematic area with civil society partners, including academia and the private sector
• Position UNDP as a leader on decentralized, sustainable energy solutions in Latin America and the Caribbean;  
• Provide substantive inputs to mobilizing, fostering and strengthening strategic partnerships with UN entities, vertical funds such as GEF and GCF and other relevant bodies and provide inputs to those partnerships in support of UNDP initiatives;
• Represent BPPS/RBLAC and engage in UN inter-agency coordination and international regional meetings and other fora to develop partnerships, advance UNDP’s strategic agenda and promote UNDP´s experience and expertise; 
• Provide inputs and insights into relevant climate change and energy policy partnerships and frameworks such as NDC partnership, SE4ALL, GEF, etc. 
• Engage in policy dialogue with country partners, represent UNDP at conferences, workshops and technical meetings and ensure that the programmatic experience from the ground informs corporate policy;
• Conduct research and analysis and draft materials to support  mobilizing, fostering and strengthening strategic partnerships with UN entities, development banks and other relevant bodies; 
• Draft and aid the development of briefings and speeches, as applicable, especially for country-specific meetings;
• Prepare materials to aid in advocating the importance of the thematic area in various fora, including academia and civil society, with a view to deepen related political commitment and related reforms; and
• Support team’s engagement in UN interagency coordination in relevant policy areas.

• Mobilize, foster and strengthen strategic partnerships with regional bodies, UN entities, vertical funds such as GEF and GCF, development banks and bilateral partners providing substantive inputs to those partnerships in support of UNDP initiatives;
• Undertake research for partnership building and resource mobilization, developing first draft of papers and marketing materials, and participating in relevant country-focused external meetings, in line with the Bureau’s partnership and resource mobilization strategy;
• Perform analysis and research to support the implementation of regional partnership strategies with UN and external partner institutions, including governments, private sector, academia, NGOs, and CSOs; and
• Participate in relevant external meetings, including resource mobilization, partnership and advocacy activities with UN partners, development banks, and external stakeholders.
• Mobilize financial resources from relevant donors and partners for implementing climate change and sustainable energy programmes and projects; and
• Formulation of funding proposals, donor briefings and presentations in support of UNDP resource mobilization efforts for Latin America and the Caribbean.

• Advance policy dialogue through regional exchange of knowledge and share knowledge products, tools and guidance to help influence/advance policy dialogue in the thematic area and present such material at various fora;
• Oversee the Latin America and Caribbean specific knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned ensuring that knowledge sharing and content management is in line with guidelines and performed using corporate tools;
• Develop specific knowledge products to increase visibility of UNDP’s climate change and energy work in Latin America and Caribbean.
• Keep an up-to-date library of knowledge related to the thematic area at region-specific level and proactively share documents with team members and respond to their specific requests for information;  and 
• Contribute to the development and review of knowledge products in close coordination with HQ and Regional Hub teams by analyzing and sharing lessons learnt and programme evaluation results. 

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

• Ability to persuade others to follow.

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

• Ability to get things done.

• Knowledge of climate change mitigation and finance, linkages to development and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.

• Knowledge of energy issues and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations, including analysis of projects from a gender perspective.

• Knowledge of various programme information for research to provide recommendation and guidance to management. 

• Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships. 

• Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge.

• Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals;

• Ability to prepare quality reports and briefs.

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in economics, business administration, engineering, environment, social sciences or related disciplines.

• At least 7 years of professional work experience providing policy advice and programme support in the general area of Climate Change and Energy in different development contexts; 
• Experience working in developing country settings is required and experience in crisis contexts is an asset.

• Fluency in English and Spanish, both written and oral; 
• Working knowledge of another UN language preferably relevant to the region in which this position is based is an asset.

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

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Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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