Director, D-1

Position description

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the focus of the political process to address climate change. The UNFCCC secretariat supports the Convention, its Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement through a range of activities, including substantive and organizational support to meetings of the Parties and the implementation of commitments. It is a dynamic organization working in a politically challenging environment to help resolve one of the defining environmental issues of our time.

Where you will be working

This position is located in the UNFCCC secretariat in Bonn, Germany, in the Transparency division which supports the intergovernmental process related to the MRV (measurement, reporting and verification) system under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, and the ETF (enhanced transparency framework) under the Paris Agreement, including by providing technical assistance to developing countries and training to experts engaged in the reporting, review and analysis processes. It supports work on relevant methodological issues, including in relation to greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, REDD-plus, agriculture and Koronivia, land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), IPCC guidelines and common metrics. It also maintains a transparency data hub, which includes data and information management and analysis.

What you will be doing

The Director of the Transparency Division is responsible and accountable for supporting the effective implementation of the agreed transparency arrangements under the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. This position is located in the UNFCCC secretariat in Bonn and reports to the Senior Director (D-2) of the Programmes Coordination Department.

Your responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Director of the Transparency Division is responsible and accountable for the following:

• Strategic Planning and Policy Advice:
  • Leads and develops innovative policies and initiatives in support of the effective implementation of transparency commitments and duties;
  • Leads all policy and technical areas related to transparency enhancement in support to Parties in the implementation of existing information and reporting systems and for the transition to new ones;
  • Provides authoritative advice to the direct supervisor as well as the Executive Secretary (ES) and the Management Team (MT) on the Transparency Division’s scope of action and associated global environmental factors, including methodological aspects that may impact the relevance and reliability of guidelines and common metrics;
  • Contributes to the development of secretariat policies and to the overall management of the secretariat by serving as a member of managerial groups, providing advice to the Executive Secretary on specific policy and technical issues, and undertaking specific managerial assignments related to the work of those groups.
• Leadership:
  • In consultation with senior management, takes the lead in directing the whole process of the Transparency Division’s document preparation for sessions of the subsidiary bodies (SBs), the Conference of the Parties (COP), the Conference of the Parties serving as meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP), the Conference of the Parties serving as meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA), and other bodies, ensuring in-house consultations with relevant work units as well as quality and timely submission of official documents;
  • Supports Parties to meet their reporting commitments, and provides inputs to the work of relevant constituted bodies;
  • Identifies risks and assesses alternative courses of action to address their potential impact. Addresses the progress of implementation of transparency arrangements;
  • Oversees the maintenance of a transparency data hub which includes data and information management and analysis as a valuable basis to raise ambition of climate action and build trust among Parties for effective implementation of action and support;
  • Coordinates activities to facilitate the monitoring and tracking of progress related to implementation and compliance by Parties and accountability of non- Party stakeholders;
  • Development of collaborative projects with other substantive programmes to gain efficiencies and cross fertilization of knowledge;
  • Monitors the organization of the division´s meetings and workshops and decides on relevant programme attendance; clears and signs related MOUs, invitations, documents for meetings/workshops and their reports, and MOUs with host institutions;
  • Oversees the operational activities in support of constituted bodies and expert groups; acts as secretary to constituted bodies under the Convention and Protocol or delegates this responsibility to programme staff.
• Management (Programme and People):
  • Programme Management:
    • Develops and oversees the implementation of the work programme which is in line with the organization’s Executive Workplan, including determining related resources requirements, and establishing expected outputs and performance indicators to ensure effective and efficient delivery of outputs necessary to fulfil the work programme’s long-term objectives; ensures regular reporting on programme performance (i.e. workplans are strategically developed for each staff member in the Division);
    • Responsible for the effective management and monitoring of the programme’s financial resources, including preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, reporting on programme performance and ensuring programme adjustments to meet mandated objectives;
    • Coordinates the development of project proposals in accordance with the approved work plan and mandates; oversees the management of approved projects;
    • Enhances and guides on the utilization of existing systems and tools for reporting, submission, review and analysis of processes to ensure the latest information is readily available to stakeholders;
    • Establishes annual travel plans and ensures that Divisional travel is scrutinized and appropriate, and directly relates to the organization’s goals.
  • People management:
    • Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under his/her supervision. Leverages the team’s work to provide high quality technical support to UNFCCC’s business needs aiming at enhancing their performance and delivery in close coordination with the various work units in the secretariat for alignment with best quality practices and new policy developments;
    • Fosters teamwork and communication among staff in the division and across organizational boundaries;
    • Responsible for effective recruitment of staff for the division taking due account of geographical and gender balance;
    • Responsible for ensuring contractual personnel (consultants) are appropriately sourced and selected, that consultants are managed, and final outputs are reviewed for completeness/appropriateness;
    • Evaluates performance of all direct reports in compliance with the Organization’s performance management guidelines. Supports supervisors within the Division to ensure their successful management of their teams. Deals effectively with performance issues within the team including the monitoring of performance improvement plans;
    • Provides thorough feedback to strengthen the division´s overall team cohesion and to encourage synergies and cross-fertilization; conducts Division and team meetings as appropriate;
    • Disseminates and encourages capacity-building by contributing to the shaping of enabling policies, tools and mechanisms to facilitate organizational knowledge sharing and advancement, within the Division and across Divisions.
• Representation, Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:
  • Provides authoritative relevant expertise to UNFCCC negotiations and institutions; promotes the secretariat as the unique official depository of climate change data;
  • Facilitates the flow of authoritative information on the implementation of the Convention, its Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement;
  • Representing the Transparency Division in relevant meetings with the Executive Secretary, Deputy Executive Secretary and the MT and other executive committees;
  • Works closely with the cross-cutting Communications and Engagement division to catalyse action and support to enhance knowledge and understanding of transparency needs and action;
  • Contributes to a unified and coherent secretariat-wide approach to resource mobilization and partnership, in close coordination with Resource Mobilization and Partnerships subdivision (RMP), building throughout the development of the required intelligence, tools and services;
  • During sessions of the intergovernmental process, directly supports and represents the Executive Secretary in relevant policy discussions at the highest levels. Engages in all areas related to transparency and facilitates Parties to highlight best practices and success stories as well as common challenges faced in implementation of agreements;
  • Enhances the secretariat’s effectiveness in resource mobilization efforts by identifying potential donors or approaching Parties requesting additional activities to discuss financial resource requirements for potential or ongoing projects;
  • Directs the Transparency Division ’s liaison activities with partner organizations, including the IPCC, UNDP, UNEP, WMO, OECD, IEA, UNECE, etc., ensuring an effective information exchange and partner organizations support on aspects of the implementation of the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.
• Performs any other job-related activity required to achieve the goals and objectives of the secretariat.

Competencies

• Communicating with impact: Promotes the organization’s mission and values with authority and gravitas to external stakeholders at all levels; Engages effectively in complex and sensitive negotiations; Communicates regularly and openly with staff at all levels within the business unit and across the organization; Expresses views and messages that reinforce the strategic goals of the organization; Identifies and involves key staff in constructing and delivering critical communications with stakeholders; Deals swiftly with inappropriate or inaccurate communication, and takes responsibility for the communications standards in the programme/unit;
• Delivering results: Critically analyses situations to develop sound strategic goals and plans; Focuses the business unit on the achievement of results and holds managers accountable for developing mechanisms to measure results and meeting their commitments; Expects and holds managers accountable for creating an environment where staff, regardless of their gender, family situation or other circumstances, are able to perform at their best; Regularly reviews business areas’ activities to assess the results achieved against targets, and holds managers accountable for addressing any under-performance; Benchmarks performance levels against the performance of other business areas and external sectors.

Managerial Competencies

• Managing Performance and Developing People: Provides teams, and the wider business area, with clear expectations regarding performance, and an understanding of how the performance of each individual unit impacts the wider organization; Holds managers accountable for providing honest and regular performance reviews for every staff member reporting to them; Fosters a performance management culture that focuses on results, high performance and collaboration; Mentors high potentials, strong performers and women in the business area and ensures managers provide coaching, support and relevant development opportunities to help staff realize their full potential;
• Exercising Sound Judgment and Decision-Making: Creates an environment where decisions are taken expeditiously; Contributes to broader organizational decisions, providing a considered and impartial perspective which takes the interests of the organization, and all those affected, into account; Assimilates multiple sources of information, identifies high-level themes, and recognizes subtle interrelationships across issues; Challenges the assumptions behind decisions, and their underlying logic, stepping away from the immediate situation to consider the wider context; Ensures decisions made within individual units, departments or divisions do not adversely impact operations elsewhere within the organization; Oversees the decisions of managers within own division, holding them to account for their decisions without undermining their authority;
• Thinking Strategically and Building the Vision: Generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; Understands the broader organizational and political context in which the unit / programme operates; Is aware of and sensitive towards the strategic priorities of the organization, external partners and the wider development and humanitarian context.

Your qualifications

Educational Background:

• Required: An advanced university degree in economics, energy, developmental, natural or environmental sciences, engineering or a related area. A first-level university degree in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Required: At least fifteen years of professional experience in matters related to climate change, analysis of climate-related policies and measures and data management and assessment;
• Experience in facilitating complex negotiations in an international/intergovernmental environment is essential;
• Proven experience in successfully leading a large team of staff within a relatively complex programme environment is essential.

Language skills:

• Required: Fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Specific professional knowledge and skills and Job-related skills:

• Sound knowledge of issues related to global climate change, including an understanding of climate action in the broader context of sustainable development, is essential. Knowledge of the work of UNFCCC is essential.

Application instructions

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