Job: PROGRAMME SPECIALIST

Location : Panama City, PANAMA

Application Deadline : 04-Oct-13

Additional Category: Millennium Development Goals

Type of Contract : FTA International

Post Level : P-3

Languages Required : English   Spanish  

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 Joint UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative is an inter-agency initiative, working on poverty-environment related issues under the umbrella of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the UN reform, the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) and other cross cutting areas of work.

The Joint UNDP-UNEP Poverty and Environment Initiative (PEI) supports country-led efforts to mainstream poverty-environment linkages into national development planning, from policymaking to budgeting, implementation and monitoring. The Poverty-Environment mainstreaming process targets to influence pre-identified entry points (e.g. a National Development Plan or Poverty Reduction Strategy formulation process, the development process of sectoral plans or programs, budgeting processes) through country-specific evidence on the nature of poverty-environment linkages (i.e. necessary data and information for advocacy).

The core of the work of the PEI- Latin America & Caribbean Team (LAC) is to support the implementation of PEI country programs implemented jointly with UNDP Country Offices that aim at increasing countries ability to integrate environment in their development strategies and policies. The UNDP-UNEP PEI LAC team is active in Uruguay, Dominican Republic, and is developing new collaboration with Guatemala, Peru, and Paraguay.

The Programme Specialist will be a member of the Poverty and Environment Initiative Latin America & Caribbean Team. Under the supervision by the Environment and Energy Team (EET) Leader & Poverty and MDG Regional Advisor, and in close collaboration with the PEI UNEP LAC coordinator, he/she will contribute to the successful implementation of Poverty and Environment Initiative country programmes in the LAC region. The Programme Specialist will work in close collaboration with partners, especially UNEP and UNDP Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide monitoring and operational support to PEI pilot Countries (Uruguay, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Peru, and Paraguayand other PEI countries as required and focus on the following results:

• Lead in information gathering, analysis, reporting and dispatch of the results of the PEI country programmes;
• Manage and coordinate the development of joint project proposals and reports related to the PEI, ensuring adequate focus on poverty alleviation and the consideration of gender issues;
• Provide support to the country teams in formulation and monitoring of annual work plans;
• Provide budgetary and procurement support to the country teams and any other operational support;
• Coordinate projects reviews and evaluation and extraction of lessons and best practices and ensure these are mainstreamed into future documents, projects and programs.

Provide technical assistance, backstopping and monitoring to national PEI teams in support of mainstreaming poverty – environment linkages into national development policies while focusing on the following results:

• Perform analysis of political situation and develop scenarios for effectively addressing poverty environment mainstreaming in this context;
• Manage, gather and analyse information relevant to the work of PEI, including country level and regional experience, with particular emphasis on livelihoods, poverty reduction, ecosystems services and values, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and sharing outcomes with decision-makers;
• Prepare information and documentation on programme implementation;
• Provide background information to identify opportunities for project development;
• Provide support and contribute to the development and formulation of project proposals
• Incorporate and consolidate information on Extractive Industries (EI) in the PEI LAC programme;
• Contributing to strengthening the link between EI and its contribution to poverty reduction and sustainability, from both technical and policy angles;
• Coordinating regional or sub-regional forums (virtual or workshops) on EI.

Provide support to the development of partnerships, advocacy and knowledge management services for poverty environment mainstreaming and focus on the following results:

• Formulate effective advocacy strategies;
• Establish effective networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDPs mandate and strategic agenda;
• Collaborate with UNEP staff to coordinate (technical and programmatic) support to existing PEI national programmes and explore new opportunities while promoting UNDP/UNEP poverty environment mainstreaming agenda in inter-agency meetings;
• Build partnerships with existing and new actors (including private sector and academia) to support the design of the 2013-2014 PEI LAC platform;
• Identify needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;
• Identify and formulate lessons learnt from the poverty environment mainstreaming in this particular region and contribute to the preparation of the advocacy tools.

Provide support to the national PEI team on resource mobilization focusing on the following results:

• Conduct analysis of policies of in-country donors, civil society organizations, government and other stakeholders;
• Support the PEI national team with the formulation of a resource mobilization strategy at the country level;
• Explore financing opportunities for PEI LAC through the formulation and monitor implementation of the resource mobilization strategy;
• Support the establishment of new strategic partnerships in the areas of substantive focus.

Impact of results:

PEI Country Teams are technically and operationally empowered and capable to mainstream poverty and environment linkages in all planning and budgeting processes and therefore contribute to the sound environmental management to poverty reduction, sustainable economic growth and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in pilot countries.

Competencies

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;
• Have a positive and professional attitude towards work.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience and contributes to UNDP Practice Areas and actively works towards continuing perrsonal learning and development;
•  Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on poverty environment issues;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issue;
• Excellent communication skills with ability to express ideas clearly, concisely and persuasively both orally and in writing.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• 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;
• Ability to lead formulation and evaluation of development programmes and projects;
• Ability to work under pressure and to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Partnership Building and Team Work

• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
• Encourages risk-taking in the pursuit of creativity and innovation;
• Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Building strong relationships with clients and external actors.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master's Degree or equivalent in sustainable development, poverty reduction, natural resources or environmental management, economics, international development studies or related field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level working in related fields (e.g. poverty and environment projects, poverty reduction, development public policy design and implementation, extractive industries projects for poverty alleviation);
• Experience with management of projects especially in the areas of Poverty and Environment mainstreaming;
• Hands-on experience in design, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• At least 2 years of working experience with a UNDP Country Office and/or Regional Center would be an added advantage;
• In-depth knowledge of the LAC region and particularly of Guatemala, Peru and Uruguay realities is an added advantage;
• Familiarity with both UNDP and UNEP procedures, policies, rules and regulations would be a distinctive asset;
• Demonstrated exposure to capacity building and institutional development as well as knowledge management and project/programme management, preferably in the coordination of work from different Multilateral Organizations with interagency experience;
• Familiarity with the potential role of poverty environment linkages, sustainable management of the environment, in relation to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) would be an added advantage;
• Hands-on experience in economic development of extractive industries in the LAC Region will be an added advantage;
•  Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in oral and written English and Spanish is required; Good knowledge & command of a third UN language is an added advantage.

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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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