Job: GLOBAL TEAM LEADER, STAKEHOLDER MOBILIZATION & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL

Location : New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Application Deadline : 23-Sep-13

Additional Category: Environment and Energy

Type of Contract : FTA International

Post Level : D-1

Languages Required : English  

Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 01-Nov-2013

Duration of Initial Contract : 1 Year

Expected Duration of Assignment : Renewable

Background

The Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative is a multi-stakeholder partnership between governments, the private sector, and civil society. Launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2011, it has three interlinked objectives to be achieved by 2030:

• Ensuring universal access to modern energy services;
• Doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency;
• Doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

The Secretary-General has designated an Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on Sustainable Energy for All at the Under Secretary-General (USG) level to oversee this initiative, who will also act as the Chief Executive (CEO) for the initiative. The Advisory Board is the highest tier of governance, Co-Chaired by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the President of the World Bank. This multi-stakeholder Advisory Board is comprised of about 40 high-level global leaders from governments, business and civil. The SE4ALL Advisory Board and the Executive Committee will guide the strategic direction of the partnership and provide overall guidance to the SRSG/Chief Executive.

The SRSG will direct a Global Facilitation Team (GFT), with offices in Vienna and New York, which will catalyze the implementation of actions, projects and programmes to be undertaken by a wide range of partners. They will be supported by Regional and Thematic Hubs. Aside from these core organizations, there will be several other organizations supporting SEFA that will comprise SEFA’s Global Network. These include, but are not limited to, the lead organizations in charge of advancing the High Impact Opportunities and Country Action plans like the UN Development Program (UNDP). 

The GFT will support and facilitate action across the opt-in countries (77 developing countries now and still counting), over 50 high impact opportunities with hundreds of high impact initiatives, and collaborate with thousands of stakeholders over the course of the next two decades. At Rio+20, many countries, civil society organizations and businesses announced commitments to SE4ALL, in all totaling more than US$ 320 billion. In the first 3 years, the initiative, by working with all partners, is, among others, aimed at catalyzing the mobilization of action and resources required to establish programmes to electrify 200 million people, and provide clean cooking solutions to 400 million people.

UNDP has worked to promote universal access to affordable, clean, and modern energy services for all over the last two decades, and has been a key partner of SE4ALL since the beginning of the initiative in 2011. With the current momentum following Rio+20 and the resolution on the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All, there is a unique opportunity at the moment to further advance the goal and objectives of the initiative, while ensuring that access to sustainable and clean energy features in the post-2015 development agenda and the likely sustainable development goals.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), with strategic guidance from the Director of the Environment and Energy Group of the Bureau for Development Policy (BDP-EEG), in day-to-day association with the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Planning at the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG), and in close collaboration with senior members of the SE4ALL Global Facilitation Team and key partners of the SE4ALL initiative, the incumbent will:

Representational functions:

 

Represent the SRSG on day-to-day interactions with intergovernmental processes and discussions with stakeholders in New York, and, as needed, in other locations. 

This includes:

• Leading interactions with senior representatives of governments' Missions to the United Nations and other stakeholders such as Friends of Sustainable Energy for All among the permanent representatives in New York;
• Representing the SRSG in meetings and discussions hosted by UN General Assembly and its committees, ECOSOC, and other intergovernmental processes;
• Coordinating interactions with UN system entities such as UNDP, UNDG, CEB, UNDESA, UN-Energy and the World Bank as they relate to discussions on energy;
• Organizing advocacy and outreach to a wide array of stakeholders to advocate for sustainable energy for all;

Managerial functions:

 

Direct and manage the work of the Global Advocacy and Stakeholder Mobilization team, composed of a multidisciplinary team of managers, advisors, experts and support staff. 

This includes:

• Providing conceptual and operational leadership in designing and directing a structured approach to engaging with governments, CSOs, businesses, youth, academia and other stakeholders of SE4All;
• This includes major global stakeholder mobilization and advocacy events including an annual high-level event of SE4ALL and other match-making engagements to mobilize stakeholders’ commitments in support of SE4ALL;
• Leading team planning, monitoring, results reporting and performance evaluation of the Global Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement team as whole and individual members in the team;
• Maintaining excellent communications with government leaders, businesses, CSOs and other partners.

Technical functions:

Spearhead the initiative’s efforts to help integrate sustainable energy for all into global, regional and national political processes. 

This includes:

• Conceptualizing and coordinating the initiative’s efforts to integrate energy into those related to the UN’s Post-2015 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), follow up to the UN-supported Thematic Consultation on Energy and the post-2015, and the work related to the UN Task Team on the Post-2015;
• Spearheading interactions with existing global political dialogues related to energy, such as G-20, UN CSD (and the forthcoming Global Policy Forum), UNFCCC, OECD as well as relevant regional political gatherings;
• Provide strategic advice to SRSG, including in the development and implementation of initiative-wide strategic plans, monitoring and reporting on any aspects of the SE4ALL initiative, mobilization of resources, and development of strategic alliances and partnerships in support of the initiative;
• Provide, on behalf of the SRSG, strategic advice and substantive support to priorities, process and content orientation of Secretary-General’s engagements on energy. This includes:
• Coordinating the organization of meetings of the Advisory Board for Sustainable Energy for All, co-chaired by the Secretary-General and the President of the World Bank, serving as its secretariat, by working with relevant senior counterparts at the World Bank;
• Supporting the Secretary-General and the SRSG in conceptualizing and implementing the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All. This includes co-drafting of SG’s reports to the General Assembly by working with DESA and other partners, and promoting the implementation of the Decade at local, national, regional and international levels;
• Providing talking points, speeches, and briefing materials for SG’s engagements on the Sustainable Energy for All initiative;
• Supporting senior Executive Office of the Secretary-General officials’ (e.g. DSG and the ASG for Strategic Planning) engagements on energy issues and its linkages with other topics such as climate change. 

Impact of Result

• Strengthened momentum towards integrating energy into the post-2015 development agenda including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and other relevant international processes at local, regional and international level;
• Significantly increased SE4ALL partnership base;
• Global leadership position of the SE4ALL initiative enhanced through effective communications and global advocacy related to energy access, energy efficiency measures and business cases for investment into clean energy solutions;
• Clear and strengthened strategic direction through effective engagements of Advisory Board and Executive Committee members;
• Strategic contributions of UNDP in the area of energy significantly enhanced by leveraging the SE4ALL initiative.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

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

Functional Competencies:

• Ability to provide top quality strategic advice services;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
• Shares knowledge and experience and contributes to UNDP Practice Areas and actively works towards continuing personal learning and development;
• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to go beyond established procedures and models, propose new approaches which expand the range of programmes;
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.

Management and Leadership:

• Focuses on impact and result;
• Capable of planning, prioritizing and deliver tasks on time to meet goals in a highly pressured environment;
• Capable to respond flexibly and positively to change through active involvement and generation of innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations;
• Function at high level in teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
• Able to contribute to effective management of a senior and multi-cultural team under extreme time pressure;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Energy, Development, Public Policy, or other relevant disciplines.

Experience:

• At least, fifteen years of professional work experience in the field of energy and/or related disciplines essential;
• Demonstrated track-record of excellence in managing global, complex multi-stakeholder partnerships;
• Expert knowledge on international negotiations, especially in the context of UN General Assembly and its committees, major UN conferences, and other international processes;
• Filed experience in working and collaborating with governments, businesses and civil society highly desirable;
• Politically savvy;
• Demonstrated track record of excellence in managing a multi-disciplinary team with diverse international background;
• Solid leadership, presentational and people skills;
• Strong negotiation skills, maturity and sensitivity to handle difficult situations.

Language requirements:

• Excellent knowledge of English, as well as writing, presentation and communication skills;
• Fluency in other UN language is an asset.

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UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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