SIDS Programme Coordination Associate (PCA)

UNRCO ATG organization mission TBD

Antigua and Barbuda play a pivotal role as custodians of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS), a landmark framework adopted during the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in 2024. As custodians, Antigua and Barbuda are entrusted with championing the implementation of the ABAS, which is a renewed declaration for resilient prosperity. This includes advocating for climate resilience, economic diversification, and sustainable development across SIDS. Antigua and Barbuda’s strategic positioning to lead the international advocacy for SIDS, ensures that their unique vulnerabilities—such as climate change, economic isolation, and limited resources—are addressed through global partnerships and support mechanisms.

The ABAS calls for the establishment of a SIDS Centre of Excellence (COE) in Antigua and Barbuda. This Centre will include:

-A SIDS Data Hub

-A Technology and Innovation Mechanism

-An Island Investment Forum

The Programme Coordination Associate (PCA) based in the RCO in Antigua and Barbuda will provide critical support to the RCO and COE. The PCA will be a highly skilled and motivated entry level professional to lead and support initiatives related to climate policy, particularly the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and supporting SDG 13 acceleration activities, the development and implementation of Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) frameworks to support implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS). The Programme Coordination Associate will also contribute to the creation of a Center of Excellence (CoE) User Guide and provide strategic project management support across climate-related programs and other key thematic areas, including food security and gender.

Under the direct supervision of the Country Coordination Officer (CCO) within the RCO (responsible for coordinating all programming work of the RCO for Antigua and Barbuda), the UN Volunteers, as already agreed with the government of Antigua and Barbuda, will work with the CCO and the SIDS Centre of Excellence to support development and implementation of critical knowledge products to inform the climate adaptation and mitigation priorities of SIDS globally but with a primary focus on the Eastern Caribbean.

The UN Volunteer will further support the SIDS Centre of Excellence in developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation tasks related to the climate priorities outlined in the draft ABAS M&E framework.

The UN Volunteer will have an exceptional opportunity to learn more about the SIDS context, support a fledgling international centre to promote SIDS-SIDS, North-South and Triangular collaboration and produce several high priority deliverables while benefitting from the tutelage of highly skilled development practitioners from both the government of Antigua and Barbuda, and international development partners, including the UN and the private sector.

The UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

1. Climate Policy and NDCs

-Working with climate change specialists, assists in the preparation of policy briefs for SIDS on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

-Support the process of developing, reviewing, and implementing of NDCs in alignment with the Paris Agreement.

-Contributes to policy analysis and contributes to the organisation of national and regional climate policy dialogues.

-As part of the team, the Programme Coordination Associate will liaise with government agencies, international organizations, and stakeholders to align climate actions with national priorities.


2. Monitoring & Evaluation Framework

-Contributes to the design and refinement of M&E frameworks for climate-related programs under the ABAS framework.
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Support development of indicators, data collection tools, and reporting templates for SIDS.

-Support training and capacity-building on M&E methodologies.

-Support the capacity development process to ensure the alignment of M&E systems with international standards and donor requirements.


3. Center of Excellence (CoE) User Guide

-Support the development of a comprehensive and user-friendly guide for the CoE on climate M&E.

-Collaborate with technical teams to document best practices, tools, and case studies.

-Ensure the guide is accessible, practical, and adaptable for various stakeholders.


4. Programme Coordination

-Support the coordination efforts of the RCO, UN Development System, and the SIDS CoE to develop climate resilience project pipelines.

-Develop work plans, budgets, and risk management strategies.

-Participates with cross-functional teams to ensure timely delivery of project outputs.

-Assist with the preparation of progress reports, presentations, and donor communications.