Regional Technical Specialist - Climate Change Mitigation for Europe & CIS

Within the Europe and CIS region and the Climate Change Mitigation thematic area, through all stages of the project and programming cycle of the particular source of fund (GEF, CDM, JI), and in accordance with the UNDP-GEF and MDG Carbon Programming Manuals, the RTS-CCM is responsible for:

1. Project Identification and Development (Project Origination) (25%) :

• The identification and development of project ideas for entry to the UNDP-GEF and project origination for the carbon pipeline within the overall strategic priorities for the region identified by UNDP, the RCU and in line with the global strategic priorities articulated by GEF and MDG Carbon;
• Providing timely and quality information and technical advice on carbon finance (CDM, JI), GEF, or other relevant sources of finance, policies and activities to country offices, executing agencies, governments, and other partners such as UNDP Regional Service Centre, NGO’s and the like; including mentoring RCU staff, regional consultants, and project staff with regards to Climate Change mitigation project development processes and requirements and provide necessary backstopping;
• Providing guidance to the country offices and national proponents in defining priorities for UNDP assistance and entry points for MDG Carbon’s services in identifying and developing carbon finance (or GEF) eligible climate-change projects within the region, as well as providing advice on the specific problems occurring during the implementation phase of the projects;
• Design, preparation, submission and approval of project proposals and requests for project development financing;
• Identification and sourcing of technical expertise and support including assisting with the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports;
• Identification and liaison with potential and actual co-financing agencies and institutions

2. Project Implementation Oversight and Support (25%):

• Inception, contracting and start up of projects including establishment of indicators, benchmarks and work plans
• Supervising implementation, monitoring, troubleshooting and adaptive management. This includes monitoring the development and implementation of the UNDP climate change mitigation projects, including review and commenting of the PIRs received from the COs and ensuring their timely submission to HQ;
• Maintain project and portfolio information and corporate information systems including keeping PIMS pages for the projects managed under this TOR and the internal MDG Carbon and UNDP/EEG workspace for the respective region in which he/she is working applicable parts up to date;
• Reviewing and commenting on relevant submissions to GEFSEC from other agencies.

3. Strengthening Country Office and Executing Agency partner capacities to manage projects (20%):

• Contribute to the preparation of Community of Practice meetings;
• Supporting the preparation and delivery of training courses (ATLAS Risk, etc);
• Responding to queries on project progress, impacts and lessons;

4. Strategic planning, partnerships and liaison with other agencies and partners (10%):

• Establishing and maintaining contact with other GEF IA’s, EA’s, donors, NGO’s, private sector, scientific institutions and the like, to seek strategic partnerships, synergies, coordination and cooperation and to avoid overlap, duplication or conflict;
• Contribution to strategic planning and cross-cluster coordination, including participation, as applicable, in team meetings and strategic planning exercises
• Contribute to formulating CC mitigation strategic work dealing with the future programming of GEF or carbon finance resources
• Participating in global retreats, focal area retreats, regional strategic planning, pipeline management exercises, etc.;
• Participating in cross-Focal Area dialogue, common strategic visioning, mainstreaming, programming, and other collaboration within the regional team;
• Keeping UNDP EEG HQ informed of trends and issues within their focal area and region/sub-region;
• Keeping the rest of the Regional Team(s) informed of trends and issues within their focal area and region/sub-region.

5. Generating, managing and stimulating the uptake of knowledge (20%):

Within his/her related field of expertise, contributing globally and regionally to one or more of the following, in accordance with his/her agreed annual work plan:

• Peer reviewing, commenting on, and seeking to improve the technical quality of project submissions;
• Evaluating, capturing, codifying, synthesizing lessons and stimulating the uptake of best practices and knowledge, including the development and championing of resource kits and other knowledge materials;
• Facilitating, tracking, and assisting in monitoring and adaptive management of a small set of strategic projects which test cutting-edge ideas and innovations and which position UNDP strategically, including the development and management of global projects;
• Developing and carrying out a personal learning plan.

Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to lead strategic planning, change processes, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations.

Management and Leadership

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and results for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills.

• Masters degree or higher in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Economics, Environmental Management, or Engineering or Finance related to energy and climate change or a closely-related field
• 7 years of professional experience in providing development assistance, of which at least 5 years formulation and implementation of renewable energy and/or energy efficiency activities in combination with knowledge on economic and financial analysis, institutional, regulatory and policy frameworks;
• At least 5 years experience in the field in developing countries in Climate Change Mitigation; recent and relevant experience with working in Eastern European and CIS in the areas of sustainable energy and climate change strongly preferred
• Extensive experience with project development, implementation and management (in-depth knowledge of and experience in applying log frame methodologies is an asset);
• Experience in the policy development processes associated with environment and sustainable development issues;
• Previous experience with GEF, Climate Change Mitigation and with carbon finance mechanisms (CDM, JI), in particular specific project origination experience for carbon projects will be highly desirable
• Skills in facilitation and coordination, entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrated ability to work in an independent manner.
• Fluency in English required and working knowledge of another UN language, in particular Russian, highly desirable.
• In view of longer-term career prospects a demonstrated ability and willingness for frequent duty travel and mobility across regions