APAN Network Coordinator

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 Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (UNEP/ROAP) helps to implement its global programmes in the regions by initiating, coordinating, and catalyzing regional and sub-regional cooperation and action in response to environmental problems and emergencies.

The Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN), developed and launched by the United Nations Environment Programme in 2009 under the Global Adaptation Network (GAN), is the first regional adaptation network. APAN is an open network that strives to equip adaptation actors in the region with knowledge for designing and implementing adaptation measures, building capacity to access technologies and finance, and integrating climate change adaptation into policies, strategies, and plans towards building climate change resilient and sustainable human systems, ecosystems, and economies. APAN has established a good partnership with key sub-regional organizations and become a key adaptation knowledge mobilizer in the Asia and the Pacific Region.
The UN Volunteer, as part of the Climate Change team for Asia and the Pacific Office, will act as a coordinator APAN and will support the function of APAN Secretariat, hosted by UNEP Asia and the Pacific Office. The work of the APAN is to facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge about adaptation and it works through a series of partners and regional platforms.

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Coordinator, Climate Change Sub-Programme and the overall guidance by the Regional Director, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
• Act as a Network Coordinator of APAN and coordinate all APAN activities including updating APAN workplan for 2025 and 2026.
• Develop APAN Detailed Workplan of Activities for 2025 to 2026 and Knowledge Management Plan.
• In coordination with the Head of Secretariat and APAN Administrative Assistant, update and develop the APAN 2025 and 2026 Detailed Budget.
• Lead development, packaging and dissemination of knowledge products such as the APAN Information Brief, APAN Adaptation Digest, and APAN Newsletter.
• Manage one communications consultant and one APAN Forum technical consultant
• Lead on maintaining regular communications, monitoring and reporting to Ministry of Environment, Government of Japan
• Lead on overall planning and execution of the 9th APAN Forum including among other tasks:
• Coordination of all advisory committee meetings, note-taking and applying recommendations and suggestions made by technical partners in the planning and execution
•Oversight of the 9th APAN Forum webpage
• Partners outreach in the region to strengthen collaboration on APAN Forum’s four resilience areas and five enablers
• Identification of speakers and communication with speakers including invitations, speaker briefings, etc.
• Coordination of pre-forum webinars
• Liaison with Administrative and Finance officers
• Liaison with Forum hosts/co-hosts and co-organizers
• Provision of inputs and review: Forum concept note, Forum programme book, Forum detailed agenda, Resilience outlook report/ factsheet, Forum summary report
• Lead on the initial organizational tasks on planning the 9th APAN Forum including among other tasks:
• Develop briefing materials for the 9th APAN Forum
• Prepare budget and resources – technical, logistics and administrative requirements.
• Organize meetings and liaise with host, co-host and partners.
• Support delivery of AP-PLAT, a partner knowledge platform initiated by the Ministry of Environment, Government of Japan.
• Support delivery of activities of Global Adaptation Network (GAN) in Asia and the Pacific Region and maintain a close link with GAN Coordinator and other regional networks under GAN.
• Keeping abreast of adaptation events in the region and exploring opportunities for APAN to connect/support and increase visibility of APAN work on climate change adaptation knowledge.
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Maintain APAN email list-serve including updating contact lists for APAN including a database of adaptation contacts, organizations, companies, and renowned experts along with their areas of expertise.
• Making regular contact with leading adaptation experts including in the private sector, and keeping abreast/discovering what they’re working on, interest and expertise (for potential involvement in projects, publications, sessions, webinars) on climate adaptation and related areas.
• Gathering information on regional adaptation reading to feed into regular APAN newsletters and learning digests. Develop content in the form of articles, stories, op-eds or other for APAN newsletters and APAN website.
• Organizing virtual or in-person adaptation events, webinars, seminars or sessions.
• Contributing to the delivery of UNEP’s MTS 2022-25 Programme of Work related to Climate action, Nature action and Pollution.
• Oversee day-to-day APAN operation.
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• 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) (IVD).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Provide annual and end of assignment reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities using UNV’s Volunteer Reporting Application.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist 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.

Results/Expected Output:

As an active UNEP Climate Change Team and APAN team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNEP, its partners and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:
• Monthly reports covering activities carried out and outputs delivered as well as contributions made in adaptation discussions by APAN
• APAN newsletters and learning digests are published
• APAN workplans and budget are developed
• Narrative and financial reports are submitted to Ministry of Environment, Government of Japan
• APAN’s email list is maintained
• Information materials such as briefs, newsletters, and digests, web-stories about APAN activities are published
• Virtual or in-person adaptation events, webinars, seminars, or sessions are organized
• Successfully deliver the 9th APAN Forum
• Partnerships with APAN Knowledge partners are maintained
The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counter-parts, including Implementing Partners (IPs);
• 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