Senior Programme Management Officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

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. UNEP is one of three original, founding implementing agencies of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), alongside the World Bank and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The GEF also partners with 15 other Agencies to help developing countries and those with economies in transition to meet the agreed incremental costs of measures designed to achieve global environmental benefits in six focal areas: biological diversity, climate change (both mitigation and adaptation), international waters, chemicals and wastes management and, land degradation. This position is located in the Global Environment Facility Coordination Unit of the Policy and Programmes Division (PPD) at the Nairobi Duty Station. Under the overall supervision of the Director, PPD, the incumbent will carry out the following duties:

Responsibilities

• Identify trends, patterns and early warning of issues related to the GEF portfolio size, shape and relevance. Guide staff in ensuring coherence of both UNEP and GEF compliance of their projects. Coordinate with GEF Secretariat and focal area Portfolio Managers in pipeline management.
• Assist divisions to enhance the quality of projects developed. Participate in the UNEP Project Review Committees for all GEF projects and ensure all project review criteria have been followed. Improve the project cycle in UNEP. Work with UNEP’s Policy and Programme Division (PPD) to harmonize the GEF and UNEP project cycles.
• Oversee the implementation of the UNEP GEF Fee Model in a way that ensures adequate reserves to cover UNEP’s costs across the full GEF project cycle. Work with Portfolio Managers on annual targets and budgets and authorize annual budgets accordingly. Report to Division Directors periodically on the financial positions of the GEF focal area units.
• Monitor GEF projects in UNEP, including coordinating responses to the GEF Secretariat, GEF Evaluation clients, portfolio management indicators which GEF Secretariat reports to Council etc. Coordinate the preparation of periodic progress reports to GEF Secretariat and to UNEP colleagues. Respond to requests for information from UNEP divisions and offices. Liaise with the UNEP Evaluation Office on all matters related to independent evaluations of GEF projects. Coordinate UNEP input to GEF corporate evaluations and contribute to the preparation of the Management Action Record, as appropriate.
• Assist the Director in enhancing the monitoring, reporting and risk management of GEF projects. Work with UNEP Evaluation Office and PPD to improve monitoring and evaluation of GEF projects.
• Take the lead in ensuring corporate knowledge management and contribute to communications and outreach on the GEF portfolio. Ensure effective internal and external communication through website maintenance; Contribute to project data reconciliation exercises within UNEP and with the GEF Secretariat; Identify media and other outreach opportunities, contribute to the portfolio and project information and written materials.
• Brief new staff on UNEP and GEF policies, strategies and procedures. Develop a yearly budget for the GEF Unit. Provide on-going feedback on performance and guidance on work plan implementation to Unit staff and mentor the staff for career development and capacity development, Conduct performance evaluations for Unit staff.
• Represent UNEP to the GEF Secretariat on matters of policy, programming and operations. Participate in GEF Agency Retreats and GEF Council Meetings, reporting outcomes to UNEP colleagues. Participate in key UNEP processes and events, flagging them as and when appropriate to GEF Secretariat.
• Lead UNEP in adapting to and positioning within the evolving GEF policy and programming context.
• Perform other corporate tasks; Council document review and preparation of comments and briefings for management; Provide input to UNEP and GEF policy and information documents; Assist in providing training to UNEP staff on GEF matters.
• Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s, PhD degree or equivalent) in environmental sciences, natural resources, social sciences, economics or environmental management is required. A first level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Work Experience

• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in design and implementation of environmental projects and programmes is required. Experience with monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, and risk assessment in an institutional context is required. Proven experience in budget and financial management of project portfolios is required. Prior experience in GEF policy and/or programming is desirable. Experience in a corporate role, developing policies, guidelines and providing oversight is desired Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable. Experience in integrating gender approaches in programme and/or policy formulation and implementation is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable. Note: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and “knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/237521?language=en