VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
(Issue date: 30 March 2009)
VACANCY NOTICE NO.: NA-09-19
ORGANIZATION: UNEP/DTIE/ROA
DUTY STATION: Nairobi
FUNCTIONAL TITLE: Programme Officer (Climate Change)
GRADE: L-4
BAC NUMBER: NFL-2318-2665-2641-110800
DURATION: One Year (renewable)
CLOSING DATE: 30 April 2009
Background
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system’s designated entity for
addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the
development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing
emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP’s Division
of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE) is responsible for the implementation of the UNEP climate
change subprogramme in close coordination with the other UNEP Divisions and partners. This post is located
in UNEP/DTIE, Regional Office for Africa (ROA), at the Nairobi duty station.
Duties and Responsibilities
In close coordination with the Director, UNEP/DTIE and under the direct supervision of the Director, UNEP
ROA and the Climate Change Coordinator, the incumbent will:
1. Help to operationalise the UNEP Programme of Work for the region:
a) Provide advice on the development of UNEP’s regional and national activities and projects, helping
ensure that regional needs and perspectives are matched with UNEP’s obligations under its
Programme of Work;
b) Undertake regional climate change needs assessments and analysis and use this to help guide the
development of UNEP’s regional and national activities and projects;
c) Review all climate change related projects with regional and national components submitted to the
PAG (Project Approval Group) or the Project Review Group (PRC) to ensure they are fully in line with
the Climate Change Subprogramme, the UNEP Medium Term Strategy, and the UNEP climate
change strategy and that they reflect regional needs;
d) Review projects developed for other thematic areas, including cross-cutting projects, to ensure
crossfertilization and proper coordination within the Regional Office;
e) Develop project proposals to help implement the UNEP Programme of Work and its Outputs and to
meet regional needs.
2. Facilitate the implementation of the UNEP Programme of Work in the region:
a) Ensure coordinated implementation of climate change activities and initiatives from the UNEP
Programme of Work (mitigation, adaptation, science and outreach) in the region;
b) Work with each of the UNEP Divisions/Regional Office team to develop a coherent programme of
climate change activities (mitigation, adaptation, science and outreach) for the region;
c) Provide support to the Divisions in the implementation of climate change activities and projects,
including the identification of partners, the development of Terms of Reference and Memoranda of
Understanding, the hiring of relevant staff and consultants.
3. Help develop and maintain partnerships and coordinated working relationships with key regional
organizations (e.g. Regional Economic Commissions, Regional Integration Organizations, Regional
Development Banks, Climate Change Centres) and other UN agencies:
a) Assist in developing the work agreements with key regional partners to support the implementation of
the UNEP Programme of Work;
b) Identify technical centres in the region through which UNEP can implement its activities and develop
the agreements needed to facilitate such cooperation.
4. Facilitate information flow and communications within the Regional Office and between the Regional
Office, DTIE and other UNEP Divisions:
a) Act as UNEP climate change focal point in the Regional Office, helping to liaise and facilitate
information flow between the Regional Office, the Divisions and the Climate Coordinator;
b) Keep abreast of relevant climate change activities and intitiatives within the region and circulate
relevant regional information to UNEP Divisions/Regional Office team to ensure awareness of climate
change developments;
c) Support the development and maintenance of the UNEP climate change website and the climate
change intranet with key documents needed by UNEP staff for coherent implementation of their
activities, including standardized presentations, strategy.
d) Facilitate the development of special outreach materials, presentations, etc. to raise the profile of
UNEP climate change activities;
e) Participate in relevant meetings as required by the Climate Change Coordinator and DTIE Director
and/or the Regional Director.
Qualifications:
Education:
Advanced university degree (Master’ degree or equivalent) in natural resource management, environmental
or development economics, environmental law or related field. A first level university degree in combination
with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in environment, climate change and/or
development. Demonstrated experience in programme and project management preferably in the field of
environment and climate change (for example in adaptation, mitigation, science, and/or policy). Demonstrated
knowledge of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and UN
programming processes at the country and regional level an advantage.
Competencies:
1. Professionalism – Demonstrated professional competence in the policy aspects of climate change
mitigation; strong analytical skills and ability to conduct research in the subject matter; ability to deliver
outputs by deadline, ability to work under pressure within tight deadlines, maintaining good
communication with strategic stakeholders; providing leadership to assessment teams in the field and
solving practical problems that arise.
2. Planning and organizing – Ability to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies
and action plans; ability to develop, implement and evaluate programme components relating to
buildings, energy, climate change and sustainability; ability to foresee risks and allow for contingencies
when planning.
3. Communications – Excellent drafting and communication skills, both written and oral; ability to prepare
project documents, strategy papers, briefing notes and reports that are clear, concise and meaningful
for both technical and non-technical audiences; ability to establish and maintain good working
relationships with a broad range of people to implement organizational objectives.
4. Teamwork – Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish and maintain effective working
relationships, both internally and externally, with people of different nationalities and cultural
backgrounds; ability to work independently and to participate effectively in a team-based information
sharing environment.
5. Accountability – Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors 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.
Languages:
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the advertised post,
fluency in oral and written English and French is required. Knowledge of other United Nations languages an
asset.
Other Desirable skills:
Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications (e.g. word processing,
spreadsheets, internal databases and internet) required.
Depending on professional background, experience and family situation, a competitive compensation and
benefits package is offered. See UN website
http:www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/index.html.
Preference will be given to equally qualified women candidates.
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In
this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance
with established rules and procedures.
All applications to be sent to the following address on or before the deadline of 30 April 2009. Applicants
should send a completed United Nations P.11 or Galaxy Personal History Form together with a covering
letter of one to two pages summarizing how they meet the requirements of the job to:
Climate Change Coordinator
United Nations Environment Programme
Division of Technology, Industry and Economics
15 Rue de Milan
75441 Paris Cedex 09
Paris, France
Email: climate.coordinator@unep.org
UN staff members must submit scanned copies of their two latest Performance Appraisal System (PAS)
reports at the time of application to the email address above.
PLEASE QUOTE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NO.: NA-09-19
UNEP does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning
persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a
fee please contact: recruitment@unon.org.