Environmental Finance Regional Programme Associate (G6)

Background and Organizational Context

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. 

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. 

UNDP’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlighting our continued commitment to eradicating poverty, accompanying countries in their pathways towards the SDGs and working towards the Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP’s Nature, Climate, Energy, and Waste (NCE&W) Hubs promote and scale up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas. 

The newly established UNDP Climate Hub is the arrowhead of UNDP’s commitment to the “Climate Promise” that aims to support programming countries designing and implementing ambitious National Determined Contributions, with climate change mitigation and adaptation interventions fully embedded in the national development planning and budgetary processes. The Climate Hub builds on UNDP’s existing over USD 4 billion country-level climate portfolio on Climate Change Policies and Strategies, Climate Change Adaptation, Climate Change mitigation, Climate and Forests, covering over 142 countries, as well as on UNDP’s Nature portfolio, UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub and UNDP’s Digital offer.

This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships on nature climate and energy, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which includes the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF Trust Fund); the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF); the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). The Nature, Climate, and Waste Hubs focus on managing the oversight of climate and environmental financial resources from global trust funds to catalyze and unlock other types of public and private financing for sustainable development. This includes oversight of the design as well as implementation phase of projects (together with Country Offices and Regional Bureaus), as well as portfolio level oversight and management. UNDP offers countries highly specialized technical services for eligibly assessment, programme/project formulation, due diligence, mobilization of required co-financing, project implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management.

As an implementing agency to the GEF, UNDP supports countries access GEF funds to fulfill their obligations to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement (PA). These obligations include submissions of National Communications (NCs), Biennial Update Reports (BURs), and Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR) which help countries assess their emissions mitigation potential. In addition, UNDP supports countries to build monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) frameworks and enhance GHG inventories for increased transparency in emission reduction reporting. In this regard, UNDP also supports countries access GEF funds for the Capacity- Building Initiative on Transparency (CBIT). These reporting obligations and capacity-building initiatives are collectively known as “Enabling Activities” for Climate Change by the GEF Secretariat and partners.

The environmental vertical fund projects are supported at the national level by UNDP Country Offices (COs) and at the regional level by Regional Coordination Units (RCUs). 

Position Purpose

Under the overall supervision of the Portfolio Oversight Specialist and coordination and guidance of the Environment Regional Team Leader (RTL) for Asia and the Pacific, or other region as applicable, the Regional Programme Associate will facilitate the effective delivery of Climate Change Policies and Strategies portfolio mainly in Asia and the Pacific but also as necessary in Africa, Arab States or Europe and the CIS by providing support and oversight throughout the development, implementation, monitoring/evaluation, and closure of projects. This includes effective portfolio data management and monitoring to maximize COs’ timely compliance with UNDP and vertical fund requirements.

The Regional Programme Associate will work in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme, and Project teams in the CO and EF Unit’s HQs global team/staff to resolve complex programme-related issues and to ensure a consistent quality service delivery.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

1.) Management and Support to projects under development (pipeline)

• Coordinate document processing related to project development in the region (regional and country level projects) as relevant to all stages of the project cycle;
• Collection, analysis and checking for accuracy and consistency of information against established formats; 
• Updating the EF Unit project data base (PIMS+); 
• Tracking required information for project completion and/or processing requirements; 
• Timely and pro-active follow-up on correspondence with project proponents, Country Offices (COs), and EF Unit Headquarters; 
• Processing documentation for submission, including final quality check regarding accuracy and compliance with formats and guidelines according to the established SOPs.

2.) Monitoring and support to projects (after vertical fund approval)

• Effective and timely communication to COs on the processes relating to Delegation of Authority (DOA) and ensure COs receive a DOA Letter and the approved final UNDP Project Document and any other associated/necessary documents and requested clearance (including financial and technical clearance) in a timely manner once EF Unit receives an approval/ endorsement from a source of funds;
• Ensures Annual Work Plans are submitted for Portfolio Oversight Specialist approval and Authorized Spending Limit (ASL) issuance;
• Assist the Portfolio Oversight Specialist in reviewing projects’ annual and multi-year work plans in a timely manner, ensuring compliance with Donor requirements in terms of budgeting and identify irregularities; 
• Assist the Management and Programme Support Specialist in regional portfolio analysis, in particular, ensuring all data necessary for the analysis is collected from COs and consistent for any specific projects under his/her portfolio; 
• Assist COs in completing budget revision processes in time for on-going projects under his/her portfolio.

3.) Portfolio Monitoring and Support (includes projects under development and under implementation)

• Ensure all project information in EF Unit database (PIMS+) is correct and up to date at all times from the creation of a project in PIMS+ until the project’s operational and financial closure for projects under his/her portfolio;
• Actively monitor project delivery and submission of progress reports and budget revisions for the region, identifying reasons for shortfall in delivery and alert Portfolio Oversight Specialist of any projects with concerns;
• Undertake financial monitoring of the portfolio in the region and analyze individual projects’ budgets and budget revisions in close coordination with the COs and Portfolio Oversight Specialist;
• Assist in all aspects of regional portfolio management, including tracking of standard project related management actions, monitoring and evaluation requirements and progress reports (TPR/APR, PIR) including processing of required documentation;
• Maintains the electronic project data base fully updated, and where necessary, organizes and maintains hard-copy files of all projects and associated information and official documentation;
• Assist in the preparation, updating, and dissemination of PowerPoint and other presentations and in managing dissemination of information that describe the work and achievements of EF Unit via the media; 
• Conduct financial follow-up and advise Country Offices (or executing agencies in case of regional or global projects without Project Principle Resident Representatives) with regard to the deployment of the funds and the project closure, as well as, the preparation of the quarterly reports flagging to the Portfolio Oversight Specialist any discrepancies, need for action, or progress in disbursement;
• Maintain close contact with COs on projects in varying stages of the project cycle, tracking project development and/or implementation progress against established timeframes for project maturation and/or the attainment of implementation milestones as indicated in project annual work plans, recommending courses of action as appropriate and bringing to the Portfolio Oversight Specialist attention all technical issues that require attention/resolution;
• Draft correspondence and assist with other administrative tasks as required;
• Backstop other members of the Team and performs ad-hoc tasks, as required, to ensure the Team will deliver at the highest standard;
• Support in all aspects of the organization of meetings, seminars, and workshops including making timely conference room booking, assisting in preparing, sending, and following up on invitations, agendas and/or background documentation, etc.

4.) Country Office Capacity Support

• Managing information flow between COs and HQ on the regional portfolio to meet all reporting requirements;
• In coordination with Portfolio Oversight Specialist, advise Environmental Focal Points on procedural issues, approval processes, and associated timeframes related to Environmental Finance project cycle management, according to the UNDP POPP, Environmental Finance Programming Manual, and any other appropriate Advisory Notes and guidelines;
• Assist COs, Team, or HQs on staff recruitment processes and consultant procurement processes, including the development of TORs, finalizing advertisements, long and short listing, organizing interviews, ensuring necessary records and documentation throughout the recruitment process, etc. as requested by Portfolio Oversight Specialist;
• Work in close collaboration with the EF Unit Management and Programme Support Unit and the operations, programme, and projects’ staff in COs as required for resolving complex issues related to project administration or portfolio management;
• Organize EF Unit training programmes and workshops in the region as appropriate, including logistics, communications with COs, documentation requirements, and any other logistical and administrative support. 

5.) Self-Development, Learning, Knowledge Management

• Learn from, and contribute to, corporate knowledge tools including programming manual and PA training manuals;
• Organize and participate in EF Unit training programmes and workshops as required, oversee logistics, documentation, and preparation/review of budget and authorization of expenses;
• Coordinate focal area knowledge management activities. Manage dissemination of information through Power Point or similar means, resulting in public awareness of the work and achievements of the EF Unit;
• Undergo training in, and comply with, UNDP and vertical fund requirements.

Requirements

Education

• Secondary education is required;
• A Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Natural Resources Management or other closely related fields will be given due consideration;
• Certification in project management would be an added advantage.

 Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• Minimum of 6 years of experience with Secondary education, or 3 years of experience with a Bachelor’s degree, in financial resources management, budget management, programme/project management or Administrative support functions;
• Solid experience in project oversight and/or management is highly desirable;
• Knowledge of PIMS+ is preferred;
• Experience at the national or international level with organizations that manage grants from vertical funds is an advantage;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, as a minimum; database management as a plus);
• Good knowledge of an ERP System (such as Quantum) and UNDP Procurement, Programming, Finance and/or Accounting structure will be considered an advantage; 
• Fluency in written and spoken English and local language.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Business Development – Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for content, or responsive to a stated need. 

Business Management – Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Business Management – Monitoring: Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results.

Business Management – Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

2030 Agenda: Planet – Nature, Climate and Energy: Climate Change Policies: Climate Finance.

Procurement – Sourcing: Ability to find, evaluate and engage suppliers of goods and services.

Finance – Budget Management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of work planning process; drawing and management of project budgets.