United Nations Office of Counter -Terrorism (UNOCT)
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JOB DESCRIPTION
assignment(s)
Open recruitment (advertised)
Advertisement end date:09/02/2024
General
Description of assignment title
Programme Officer
Assignment country
Côte d’Ivoire
Expected start date
01/03/2024
Sustainable Development Goal
13. Climate action
Volunteer category
International UN Volunteer Specialist
Host entity
UNCDF CIV
Type
Onsite
Duration
12 months (with possibility of extension)
Number of assignments
1
Duty stations
Abidjan
Details
Mission and objectives
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 46 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development. UNCDF’s financing models work through two channels: financial inclusion that expands the opportunities for individuals, households, and small businesses to participate in the local economy, providing them with the tools they need to climb out of poverty and manage their financial lives; and by showing how localized investments — through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance — can drive public and private funding that underpins local economic expansion and sustainable development. By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a number of different SDGs.
Context
The Local Climate Adaptive Living (LoCAL) facility of the UNCDF was designed and launched in 2011 with the aim of promoting climate change-resilient communities and local economies by establishing a standard and internationally recognized country-based mechanism to channel climate finance to local government authorities (LGAs) in LDCs and to increase local resilience, thereby contributing to the achievement of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the specific goals of poverty eradication (SDG1) and climate action (SDG13). LoCAL increases awareness and capacities to respond to climate change at the local level, integrates climate change adaptation into local governments’ planning and budgeting systems, in a participatory and gender-sensitive manner, and increases the amount of finance available to local governments for climate change adaptation. LoCAL focuses on the delivery of four outputs that will directly contribute to increasing local governments’ access to climate finance and building resilience to climate change: • Output 1 – Awareness and capacities to respond to climate change adaptation at the local level are increased; • Output 2 – Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) is mainstreamed into government’s planning and budgeting systems and investments are implemented in line with the Performance-Based Climate Resilience Grants (PBCRG) mechanism; • Output 3 – The PBCRG system is effectively and sustainably established in participating countries and leads to an increased amount of CCA finance available to local government and local economy; • Output 4 – The role of local authorities and of the PBCRGs in addressing climate change are increasingly recognized at international level, through outreach, learning and quality assurance. LoCAL combines performance-based climate resilience grants (PBCRGs) with technical and capacity-building support. PBCRGs ensure programming and verification of climate change expenditures at the local level and offer strong incentives for general performance improvements targeting areas of importance for enhanced resilience. The PBCRG can be seen as an earmarked cross-sectoral grant with conditions attached to the use of its funding for climate change adaptation beyond business as usual. Combined with regular grant allocations, PBCRGs enable 100 per cent of the investments in climate-sensitive sectors to become climate resilient over time. The PBCRGs consist of a financial top-up to cover the additional costs of making investments climate resilient and/or of additional investments for climate change adaptation. These grants complement regular allocations made by the central level to local governments through the respective intergovernmental fiscal transfer system. They include a set of minimum conditions, performance measures and a menu of eligible investments.
Task description
Under the supervision of the Programme Specialist, the Programme Officer will: • Ensure the effective implementation of LoCAL in target countries in close collaboration with the Programme Specialist, UNCDF national teams and the LoCAL Facility (global team); • Contribute to the provision of technical assistance for LoCAL in target countries (e.g. writing terms of reference, letters of agreement, memorandum of understanding, official letters, support recruitment and management of consultants, etc); • Contribute to quality monitoring, evaluation and reporting (e.g. preparation and monitoring of the annual work plans, organization and participation in field missions, contribution to the preparation of the quarterly and annual reports); • Contribute to the organization of events, meetings, conferences, etc., including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc. • Collect intelligence on technical and financial partners, identify opportunities for collaboration with key stakeholders and support the development of partnerships for LoCAL in assigned countries. • Facilitate the process of preparation, design, submission and approval of programme/project concepts and full-fledged proposals for financing; • Contribute to operations activities, including finance, planning, human resources, procurement, transport, IT, security, administration and ensure they follow UNCDF’s rules, regulations, policies and procedures • Contribute to the knowledge and communication efforts of LoCAL based on lessons learned and results achieved from target countries (e.g. collecting stories from the field, photos/videos, webpage, as appropriate); • Perform any other duties as it may be required. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities. • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Coordinate with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible. 13. Results/expected outputs: • As an active UNCDF/LoCAL team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNCDF and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including by pursuing the following key results of the Project and related activity results: o LoCAL in assigned countries is effectively, efficiently and transparently implemented in line with UNCDF project management regulations; o Government partners at national and subnational levels and communities benefit from quality and timely provision of technical assistance and capacity building support; o LoCAL in assigned countries is effectively and efficiently monitored, assessed and reported on; o LoCAL experience in assigned countries is well documented, best practices identified and lessons learned and disseminated through various communication channels; o LoCAL in assigned countries is strengthened as a result of in-country technical and financial partnerships. • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment; • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed. A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.
Eligibility criteria
Age
27 – 80
Nationality
Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.
Requirements
Required experience
3 years of experience in progressively responsible positions in implementing and monitoring development projects on climate change and/or environmental conservation, preferably in the context of local development finance and fiscal decentralization. • Work experience with local stakeholders, in particular local governments and local communities, and in addressing gender equality as project objective and/or cross-cutting issue in developing countries, is desirable; • Work experience in programme development and management with demonstrated experience in writing project documents, resource mobilization, staff supervision and management; • Strong awareness of key and emerging issues related to climate change/adaptation is highly desirable; • Desirable knowledge of local public financial management and governance, including decentralization processes and instruments (e.g. performance-based grants, intergovernmental fiscal transfer systems, etc); • Proven/demonstrable networking capabilities and ability to associate him/herself with a range of actors (inter alia central and local governments; policy makers; development partners and donors, local communities, women and youth groups) with a view to building relations and facilitating links is highly desirable; • Experience with a UN organization/agency is desirable but not a requirement. • Experience with UNCDF/UNDP policies, rules and procedures is desirable, but not a requirement.
Area(s) of expertise
Development programmes, Energy and environment , Business management
Driving license
–
Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required French, Level: Working knowledge, Required
Required education level
Bachelor degree or equivalent in environmental science and management, climate science, geographic studies, political science, international development, economics,
Competencies and values
• Professionalism: • Innovation and commitment to continuous learning: • Client-orientation; • Integrity: • Teamwork and respect for diversity: • Planning and organizing: • Communication: • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement:
Other information
Living conditions and remarks
Abidjan, situated along the southern coast of Côte d’Ivoire, is the country’s economic capital and largest city. Covering an area of approximately 2,119 square kilometers, Abidjan is home to an estimated population of over 5 million people, making it a significant urban center in the West African context. Abidjan experiences a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons, similar to many cities in the region. The city encounters three main seasons: hot, rainy, and harmattan (cool and dry). The rainy season typically begins in May with the arrival of the West African monsoon, peaking in August, and tapering off in October. September usually sees the highest rainfall, with an average of 324.8 millimeters. The security situation in Abidjan is regularly assessed, with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) generally categorizing it as having a low security threat level, providing a stable environment for residents and visitors alike.
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy
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