GEF Programme Assistant

Result of Service

• Provides reliable assistance in the coordination of programme/project planning and implementation activities and basic research support.
• Demonstrates understanding of the context of programmes/projects and issues in assigned areas and uses increasing independence in the processing of work and follow-up actions.
• Demonstrates initiative in the identification and resolution of issues/problems.
• Effectively, and in a timely manner, liaises and interacts with colleagues and concerned parties internally and externally.
• Is well organized, produces accurate reports, records, and/or data, put together with only general guidance.
• Consistently applies appropriate policies, guidelines, and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

This consultancy is in UNEP’s Climate Change Division, Mitigation Branch, GEF Climate Mitigation Unit, and will be home based. UNEP’s Climate Change Division works with a portfolio of Global Environment Facility (GEF) medium-size and full-size climate change mitigation projects in Africa. The projects, which are in different stages of development (design, implementation, closure), are executed by different partners (Ministries, NGOs, etc.) through-out the region.

The Climate Change Division, in its role as implementing agency, provides oversight and ensures adherence to GEF guidelines. Under the supervision of the Task Manager for Africa for GEF mitigation projects, the Programme Assistant is required to develop and manage part of UNEP’s portfolio of GEF mitigation projects in Africa.

Thematic areas of these projects include those related to electric mobility, decarbonizing the buildings and construction sector, net-zero nature-positive accelerator, sustainable cities, climate transparency and energy efficiency. 3.2 Specific tasks and responsibilities The Programme Assistant will undertake the following duties:

Project management of projects under development:

• Prepare SSFAs (including budget and implementation plans) and oversee HR processes (i.e. recruitment of consultants, payments, etc.) for the development of assigned projects.
• Revise project implementation plans and ensure development steps are followed.
• Revise the project development timeline and provide inputs to ensure project development occurs on time.
• Provide inputs to stakeholder consultation processes in the development of the projects.
• Prepare / review the UNEP safeguards identification form and PRC checklist;
• Upload GEF-8 endorsement document packages to the GEF portal.
• Review PPG expenditure reports of assigned projects.

Project management of projects under implementation:

• Develop draft legal agreements for new projects and project extensions;
• Prepare documents for UNEP project internalization and revision processes, and provide inputs to ensure completed UNEP clearance and approval processes.
• Prepare reports on the progress and risk situation of assigned projects in the Africa portfolio, and submit to the TM recommendations to effectively mitigate identified risks.
• Prepare and send half-yearly progress report / PIR / co-finance report / expenditure report templates to Executing Agencies (EA) for projects assigned in the Africa portfolio, hold meetings with these agencies and send guidance emails to ensure correct and timely completion of the reports, and review such reports to ensure their timely completion.
• Prepare project supervision plans and risk logs for projects and periodically update them. Request the EAs to update their procurement plans and review such plans, providing inputs to finalize them.
• Prepare project revision documents for technical and financial revisions for projects, ensuring that project revision documentation is complete for UNEP approval.
• Review expenditure reports together with the finance team to ensure (a) correct amounts have been charged; (b) expenditures are aligned with project deliverables and thus acceptable; (c) expenditure is not exceeding the budget line allocations and overall budget. Send feedback emails to EAs to complete the document correctly.
• Review cash advance requests in collaboration with the finance team. Provide guidance to EAs in order for them to complete the document correctly.
• Travel to undertake the previous tasks in country, as required and decided by the TM.
• Oversee projects’ Mid-Term Reviews (MTR), including HR processes (preparation of TORs, selection process, contract issuance, payments, etc.) and preparation of Inception Reports and Final MTR Reports. Prepare an MTR implementation plan to facilitate Executing Agency implementation of MTR recommendations.
• Oversee projects’ Terminal Reviews, including HR processes (preparation of TORs, selection process, contract issuance, payments, etc.) and preparation of Inception Reports and Final TR Reports.
• Provide inputs for facilitating the technical and financial closure of projects.

Portfolio management:

• Monitor WeWork processes for assigned projects of the Africa portfolio.
• Ensure proper filing in the shared folders of documents / reports associated with the assigned projects of the Africa portfolio.
• Prepare and maintain up-to-date the databases for the Integrated Planning, Management and Reporting (IPMR) system for assigned projects.
• Participate in weekly meetings of the Africa programme team and in bi-weekly meetings with the Africa finance team.

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: project management, engineering, environment, law, business administration, economics, public affairs, development, finance, or a related discipline;
• A first level degree with additional two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree;
• Minimum of seven (7) years of overall professional experience of which three (3) years should be in managing projects related to climate change, environment or development is required.
• Experience in working with national governments in Africa is required;
• Experience in reviewing project documents, progress reports, workplans, and financial documents (budgets and expenditure reports) is an asset;
• Experience working with GEF or UNEP projects is an asset;
• Experience in working for multilateral or bilateral funding entities in the field of climate change, environment or development is an asset.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English and French is required.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/234483?language=en