Programme Specialist - Environment

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’s 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.  BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response.  BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working.  BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

BPPS’s Hubs on Nature, Climate, Energy, and Waste, with the support of the Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Unit, works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate nature, climate, energy and waste related concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and oversee the implementation of the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming nature, climate change, energy and waste. 

This multi-billion-dollar portfolio encompasses: 

• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests. 
• Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems. 
• Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS. 
• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. 
• Sustainable Energy. 
• Extractive Industries. 
• Chemicals and Waste Management. 
• Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy; and SCP approaches.   

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 natural capital, environment and climate, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of:

• the Green Climate Fund (GCF), 
• the Multilateral Fund (MLF), 
• 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). 

As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds, UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments, and knowledge management services. 

In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), UNDP recognizes that the growing risks and impacts of climate change and the threats on ecosystem services and integrity require that the region urgently invests in a new development paradigm. The LAC Environment and Energy team (ENVIRONMENT) was established to coordinate and oversee the delivery of UNDP's offers and programs under the leadership of these five global hubs. Responding directly to the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (RBLAC) and under the close supervision of BPPS, the ENVIRONMENT team directly supports UNDP Country Offices (COs) in LAC in their daily interactions with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate nature conservation, energy, environmental sustainability, and climate concerns into national and sector planning. It provides support to achieve country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements. It also oversees and supports the implementation of the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming on environment, climate change, chemicals and waste and energy.

The LAC ENVIRONMENT team assists partner countries to develop and implement programmes and projects that combine and sequence funding from a wide range of global and bilateral environment climate funds to leverage partnerships and innovative financial instruments that can help countries make green, low emission and climate resilient development not only possible, but also economically attractive.  To achieve this, the LAC ENVIRONMENT team works closely with RBLAC and the UNDP COs to help countries develop and implement programmes and projects that can help them put in place the right mix of regulatory and financial incentives to remove institutional and policy barriers and create enabling environments that can drive private sector investment into green development.

The LAC ENVIRONMENT team operates out of the UNDP Regional Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean based in Panama. It coordinates closely its interventions with RBLAC, the Regional Hub Management, and the Global BPPS Thematic Hubs. The LAC ENVIRONMENT team is headed by an Environmental Regional Team Leader who oversees the work of Regional Technical Advisers (RTAs), Policy Specialists, Programme Associates (PAs), Financial Associates, and outsourced consultants distributed across multiple technical units covering the different thematic areas of work relevant to the operations in LAC.  

Position Purpose

Under the direct supervision of the Environment Regional Team Leader for LAC, the Programme Specialist will lead and manage multiple functions that can ensure that the regional LAC Environment team can deliver timely and effectively on strategic and corporate priorities. This will include ensuring continuous monitoring and review of key portfolios and initiatives under the watch of the LAC Environment team, keeping track and responding timely to corporate requests, providing data and analysis of portfolio and finance status, producing and supervising quality planning and progress reports, supervising the work of consultants, and supporting the systematization of global and regional information.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead strategic planning and programme monitoring and reporting of key LAC Environment portfolios and initiatives. 

• Develop, populate, and maintain an efficient repository system of information that allows for the easy access and update of LAC environment records, files, and strategic documents, including policy notes, delivery targets, strategies and talking points. Part of this work should include identifying and keeping track of key deadlines.
• In close coordination with the assistant of the Regional Team Leader, intercept and route incoming strategic and corporate communications for the Regional Team Leader and the LAC Environment team that require action and response. Monitor and oversee response preparation and ensure timely follow-up as needed. 
• Organize team meetings, including for planning and reporting or to respond to new requests as needed or requested. Monitor responses on key action points.
• Prepare and/or consolidate responses to regional and/or global correspondence. Keep track of regional and global directives and lead on the preparation of comments as required. 
• Participate in UNDP meetings as required, keep track of agreements and action points, report back to the Regional Team Leader and follow up on research issues as needed.
• Actively support the development and the revision of the UNDP LAC Environment business plan and its alignment with Regional and Global Strategic Plans. Active support to the identification and framing of business opportunities and priorities, reflecting relevant portfolio data as required. Active coordination and efficient incorporation of the various inputs received from the LAC Environment sub-technical teams as well as the comments received from the BPPS and RBLAC Directorate. 
• Monitor and keep track of the implementation of the LAC Environment business plan and thematic vision papers.
• Work with the LAC Environment Regional Team Leader on the development of the UNDP LAC offer and programme strategies. 
• Oversee overall programme progress ensuring compliance with the reporting requirements from donors or UNDP. This includes overseeing, preparing, or consolidating regional planning and progress reports, reviewing them for quality assurance, coordinating the generation of inputs, incorporating the various inputs received from all technical teams. 
• Work closely with relevant RTAs and Programme Associates to monitor progress and risk management of regional projects managed by the LAC Environment team. 
• Monitor, evaluate, and systematize performance indicators set up by the BPPS Global Hubs and RBLAC. Provide suggestions and guidance to the LAC Environment Regional Team Leader on the improvement of performance indicators. 
• Provide the LAC Environment Regional Team Leader with other support as needed in carrying out the day-to-day coordination of the regional team.
• Coordinate with the Regional Hub and BPPS on the preparation of annual budgets including Regional Track funds. Monitor and keep track of disbursements in close coordination with support staff.
• Monitor and update progress on the delivery of the Regional Programme 2022-2025
• Lead and organize portfolio reviews and analysis at sub-regional level or for specific strategic thematic areas in close coordination with the LAC Regional Team Leader. 
• Backstop the LAC Regional Team Leader while he is on mission by liaising and following-up with Officers in Charge and the LAC Environment Team on corporate requests.
• Managing updates of the LAC Regional Team Leaders schedule in close coordination with the assistant of the LAC Regional Team Leader and with relevant regional advisors and programme associates.

Lead Regional portfolio management. 

• Prepare or coordinate the development of relevant background materials, briefing notes, presentations, reports, and/or talking points as requested in close coordination with the LAC Environment Regional Team Leader and the LAC Environment leadership team in a well-organized and timely manner.
• Locate and obtain data and information for efficient use of the LAC Regional Team Leader and the LAC Environment leadership team. Organize and maintain efficiently such data in files, databases, periodic reports etc.
• Undertake analyses of data and information, compiling comprehensive syntheses, reports, charts, tables, graphs, presentations, etc. as required.
• Track action items as they relate to project troubleshooting, risk management and reporting, regional agreements with BPPS and RBLAC, etc. This includes tracking of overall portfolio information including general status of Mid-Term Reviews, Terminal Evaluations, project start up times and general project delays to support in identifying portfolio level risks and trends. 
• Track and keep record of all SOPs relevant to the work of the LAC Environment team. 
• Track, oversee, and update regional and global dashboards (including PIMS+ and Unity).
• Participate and support the organization and scheduling of Pre-Investment Screening Committee meetings, CO capacity Assessments, and Review of checklists. Keep track of PISC minutes and monitor PISC action points for follow-up with RTAs and PAs.
• Substantively review and critically analyze key documents to be produced or reviewed by the LAC Environment team and ensure all briefs and presentations are complete and accurate. 
• In close coordination with BPPS’ Management and Programme Support Unit (MPSU), monitor status of Mid-Term Reviews, Terminal Evaluation, project closure and extension requests. Work actively with relevant PAs and RTAs to ensure delays are addressed. 
• Supervise and monitor project start-up time.
• Facilitate the recruitment process and the development of ToRs of new staff and outsourced consultants in close coordination with the Regional Team Leader as well as the Hub Management, the BPPS Directorate, and the Human Resources Office as needed.
• Undertake preparations of regional and global retreats as needed, including supervising logistical needs and agenda development. 
• In close coordination with the BPPS Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight, and Compliance Unit and RBLAC, lead on the planning and preparation of agendas, data compilation and presentation for periodic high-level meetings. Keep track of minutes and action points. Organize follow-up meetings as needed.
• Communicate and incorporate the results and impacts of the regional programme into UNDP’s overall result framework. 
• Support timely actions and the coordination of inputs for regional reporting and planning exercises such as CPD, ROAR, IWP and other relevant planning, reporting, and programming processes.
• Prepare and review relevant material and agendas to support inter-agency work in the region as well as regional fora and events. Follows-up on requests and participate in regional meetings as needed.
• Keep track and facilitate the coordination for synergy and integration with the GPN clusters of inclusive growth, gender equality, governance, disaster risk reduction and health. 
• Undertake specific ad-hoc assignments of substantive or operational nature as requested by the LAC Environment Regional Team Leader.
• Participate in SMT meetings as requested.

Lead in implementation of Risk management and Compliance of Safeguard Policy of UNDP 

• Lead regular risk assessment in the LAC Environment portfolio using tools provided by UNDP and Global Directorate. This includes working with relevant Regional Advisors to identify risks and mitigation strategies related to the overall performance of the portfolio and providing follow-up on risk management actions. 
• Review the risk mitigation action plans of the LAC Environment team. Monitor the implementation of mitigation actions for high-risk projects and report the result to the Regional Team Leader. Prepare communication reports on risks and responses for relevant RBLAC and BPPS colleagues in line with the risk management guideline and as requested by the Regional Team Leader.
• With support and in coordination with RTAs, supervise and monitor status of High and Substantial-Risk projects identifying portfolio level trends and risks. 
• In close coordination with the Safeguards Specialists, conduct periodic reviews of compliance and status of safeguards of the LAC Environment portfolio. Oversee the preparation by the Safeguards team of lessons learned and action plans in coordination with relevant technical teams. 
• Actively coordinate and participate in regional and national training exercises as required.       

Ensure provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of communication and knowledge building and management

• Provide information as required, and as appropriate, to internal and external parties.
• Maintain efficient communication channels and networks with Programme Assistants/Associates and RTAs within the LAC Environment team as well as with the broader GPN network and external strategic partners as needed and discussed with the Regional Team leader.
• Keep track and record of all publications produced by the Panama based LAC Environment team as well as relevant global publications while ensuring that these are centralized within a shared online filing system. 
• Coordinate preparation of inputs for strategic publications of the LAC Environment team, the Regional Hub, RBLAC, and BPPS Directorate.
• Support the development of a regional newsletter in coordination with relevant Communication Specialist
• Provide inputs to regional newsletters as requested.
• Liaise and coordinate with regional and global Communication Specialists as well as RTAs on the preparation of relevant communication material or knowledge products.
• Act as the LAC Environment team´s focal point for guidance on UNDP and Vertical Funds programming and project cycle management policies.
• Manage and coordinate communications with authors and designers of regional publications as needed and in coordination with relevant RTAs or Communication Specialists.
• Keep track and/or support the preparation of ToRs for new publications and communication products in coordination with relevant RTAs and the Regional Team Leader. 
• Organize and oversee printing and distribution of material as needed.
• Coordinate with relevant Communication Specialists and RTAs on the production of visual material and reports systematizing and analyzing technical or policy contributions of the LAC Environment team at the sub-regional level or related to specific thematic areas as requested by the Regional Team Leader.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervision of Consultants.

Competencies

Core:
Achieve Results:               

• Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact. 

Think Innovatively:         

• Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems. 

Learn Continuously:       

• Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences. 

Adapt with Agility:         

• Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.

Act with Determination:               

• Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.

Engage and Partner:       

• Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration. 

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  

• Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity. 

People Management: 

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.   

Cross-Functional & Technical:
Business Management: Results-based Management      

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.

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: Portfolio Management 

• Ability to select, prioritise and control the organizations programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment.

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.

External Relations and Advocacy: Writing and editing    

• Ability to create and/or edit written content in different UN languages.

2030 Agenda: Planet: Nature, Climate and Energy            

• Climate Change Policies: Climate Finance 

Digital and Innovation: Data Analysis     

• Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:          

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in social policy, international development, public policy, economics, administration, project management, environment, development studies or similarly related area is required. OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.  

 Experience:       

• Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant work experience in environmental policy, with increasing independence and preferably within an international organization is required.
• Experience in programme monitoring and reporting, portfolio management, and/or risk management is required. 
• Experience with UN and UNDP Rules and Regulations, organizational structures, and tools such as Quantum and Unity as well as PIMS+ would be an advantage.
• High level of expertise on the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint functionalities is required. 
• Previous experience with visual e-presentation techniques and ability to operate with on-line web-based applications would be highly desirable.
• Proven experience in drafting and presentation skills, both oral and written is asset.

 Language:          

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Spanish is required. 
• Working knowledge in French and/or Portuguese would be an asset.