Job Description
Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks

2. Office/Unit/Project Description The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in 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. The Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL) is a mechanism to integrate climate change into local authorities’ planning and budgeting through the regular intergovernmental fiscal transfer system using performance-based grants in a participatory and gender sensitive manner, increase awareness and capacities to respond to climate change at the local level including through ecosystem-based solutions, and increase the quality and number of local investments that address climate change. LoCAL combines performance-based climate resilience grants (PBCRGs), which ensure programming and verification of change expenditures at the local level, with technical and capacity-building support. It uses the grants and demonstration effect to trigger further flows for local climate action including global climate finance and national fiscal transfers. LoCAL also aims to support private finance for small and medium businesses and municipal finance and public-private partnerships. LoCAL is currently active in 17 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, with another 13 countries preparing to join (at the design stage). UNCDF has supported the Government of Burkina Faso design the LoCAL-Burkina Faso Mechanism with aims of increasing local governments’ access to climate finance for implementation of NDC and NAP-aligned change adaptation priority investments (outcome 1); and will consolidate a standard and internationally recognized countrybased mechanism of performance-based climate resilience grants in the country, further attracting climate finance, domestic and international (outcome 2). LoCAL aims to raise awareness and strengthen capacities for subnational climate change adaptation at subnational level (output1); support the integration of climate change into local planning and budgeting processes and finance local adaptation interventions and investments in NDC and NAP-aligned adaptation sectors (output 2) and deploy at scale across the country an effective performance-based climate resilience grant system (financing mechanism) that can attract various sources of climate finance (output 3). Within this programme context, UNCDF is seeking a National Coordinator, NPSA to contribute to the effective delivery of the Programme’s activities in Burkina Faso.

3. Scope of Work

The National Coordinator will provide policy, regulatory and technical advice to the national counterparts, district councils and wards in relation to the LoCAL programme activities and with a focus on the integration of climate change and environmental sustainability into public planning and budgeting systems at sub-national level. The National Coordinator also will be responsible for providing technical, policy, and programming implementation support and oversight, and knowledge and capacity development services for the effective deployment of LoCAL programmatic activities, for providing operational support to the LoCAL Facility, and is also expected to contribute to LoCAL’s resource mobilization activities on an ongoing basis.

Summary of key functions:

1. Programme management and implementation (30%)

2. Policy outreach, partnership building and resource mobilization (25%)

3. Policy, regulatory and technical advice to government counterparts and key stakeholders (25%)

4. Coordination with government counterparts, UN system and development partners (10%)

5. Knowledge management and communication (10%)

1. Programme management and implementation (30%)

Oversee the day-to-day implementation of selected LoCAL activities, with a focus on climate change and environmental sustainability;
Lead delivery and achievement of objectives by working with and supporting implementing partners’ project related activities;
Ensure the integrity of LoCAL Annual Work Plan, budget, financial resources, review of budget requirements, delivery and the consistent application or rules and regulations;
Provide effective programme and project design, supervision, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reporting and completion of assigned LoCAL activities, in close collaboration with the LoCAL Facility Manager and the LoCAL Facility (global), and in coordination with the UNS and national counterparts;
Contribute to the management of the risk log of the project;
Support identification and sourcing of technical expertise and support, including assisting with the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports.
Contribute to the preparation and timely submission of comprehensive technical and financial reports in line with contractual agreements including semi-annual reporting;
Ensuring the timely and effective management of the activities as scheduled.

2. Outreach, partnership building and resource mobilization (25%)

Develop strategies to mobilize additional resources based on programme requirements and new opportunities.
Maintain close working relationships with key national and subnational institutions and other key stakeholders at various levels in order to support the quality of the execution of the PBCRGS and its key results areas;
Support negotiations on co-operation with the UN system, Government, bilateral development agencies, and other technical partners to identify and develop synergies with relevant in-country projects and technical partnerships for LoCAL with a focus on policy and capacity development for climate change mainstreaming and climate finance;
Build effective and efficient partnerships at the operational level with national counterparts and financial and technical partners;
Organize consultative meetings, seminars and workshops to drive analytical and policy work of the Programme.

3.Policy, regulatory and technical advice to government counterparts and key stakeholders (25%)

Ensure adequate provision of technical, policy and regulatory assistance and advice to national and subnational governments in the field of public financial management, good governance, decentralization, adaptation planning/programming, climate finance, climate change issues and environmental sustainability, climate change mainstreaming into planning, budgeting, investment plans, implementation, and monitoring of adaptation measures (performance assessments);
Substantially contribute to the implementation of LoCAL-Burkina Faso in its various stages of deployment (analysis and planning; financing and budgeting; implementation of adaptation measures; performance evaluations and reporting) and provide support as needed on specialized technical assistance assignments on topics of relevance for LoCAL (e.g. Climate Risk Assessment, Local Information Systems for Adaptation, etc.);
Support the strengthening of capacities, institutions and systems with a focus on local level adaptation mainstreaming and the strengthening of public financial management systems for climate change (e.g. by facilitating and undertaking capacity needs assessments; the development of capacity building programmes; the organization of training workshops; and on-the-job learning);
Strengthen the quality of the monitoring and evaluation and reporting of LoCAL in line with the ‘Assessing Climate Change Adaptation Framework’ (e.g. preparation and monitoring of the annual work plan, organization and participation in M&E field missions, proposing corrective measures, contribution to the preparation of annual reports);
Provide technical advice and capacity building support (“learning by doing”) for the integration of environment and climate change issues in the local government development and investment plans and budgets that foster job creation, gender equality and green and climate resilient local economies;
Provide technical advice and capacity building support for the adequate integration and costing of environment and climate considerations (e.g. specifications, cost estimations, etc) in the investments delivered in the context of the Programme;
Lead the technical dialogue and provision of policy and technical advisory services to national and local government counterparts in relation to climate change information and assessments, climate mainstreaming, climate finance and (direct) access to international climate finance (e.g. through accreditation to the Green Climate Fund).

4. Coordination with government counterparts, UN system and development partners (10%)

Serve as the UNCDF focal point in working groups and steering committees on the issue of environment and climate change and related sectors and provide inputs for conducive policy and regulatory environment; Manage UNCDF’s commitments within the UNSDCF Results Matrix, ensures effective application of results -based management tools, monitors initiative work plans, programme effectiveness and achievement of results.
Coordinates and provides substantive contributions from UNCDF on LoCAL mechanism in the CCA and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), promotes thematic and sectoral synergies and coordination of programme activities and execution with development partners in Burkina Faso;
Coordinate closely with development partners and UNRCO on LoCAL development and delivery, identifies approaches and modalities to achieve development targets by ensuring synergies and coordination between UNCDF LoCAL global programme and development partners in Burkina Faso (or any other assigned LoCAL country), as well as provide technical, policy and programmatic advice to the UNRCO on relevant themes.

5. Knowledge management and communication (10%)

Identify key knowledge constraints and organize learning, knowledge exchange, training, workshops, etc. to build the awareness and capacities on relevant themes (i.e. climate change, local climate risk assessments, environmental sustainability, mainstreaming, in support of women and youth employment, etc.);
Contribute to the implementation of the Communication and Visibility Plan of the Programme, in collaboration with Programme team, partners and technical consultants;
Identify, collect and disseminate best practices and lesson learned from the Programme in areas of specialty;
Manage the process of convening national and regional stakeholders to share lessons learned on selected themes.
Additional information on LoCAL can be found here https://www.uncdf.org/local/homepage

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.)

Show Managerial Courage
Demonstrate Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
Build an Enabling Workplace
Lead with Humility

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies (insert up to 7 competencies)

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

External Relations & Advocacy


Communication

Advocacy strategy

Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change

Partnership management

Multi- stakeholder engagement

and funding

Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms

Partnership management

Strategic engagement

Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their

buy-in of high-level vision and objective

Programme and Policy

2030 Agenda: Planet

Disaster Risk Reduction and

Recovery

Climate Risk Management Disaster and Climate Risk Governance

2030 Agenda: Planet

Nature, Climate and Energy

Climate Change Policies: Climate Finance

2030 Agenda: Planet

Nature, Climate and Energy

Climate Change Policies: Governance / integrated planning for climate change investments in the context of urbanization

2030 Agenda: Planet

Nature, Climate

and Energy

Climate Change Adaptation: strategies

Experience:

Minimum Education requirements

Master's degree in public policy, public administration, economics or other relevant fields. A combination of different fields (environment/climate change on the one hand and development and public administration on the other hand) is an asset;

Mininum years of relevant work experience

A minimum of five (5) years’ experience in implementing/coordinating development projects in the fields of local development, decentralization, climate change and/or environmental sustainability, preferably with a focus on subnational adaptation finance and governance;
At least three (3) years managerial /professional level work experience working on policy, regulatory and technical advisory services with national and subnational stakeholders is highly desirable;
Experience in capacity development and institutional strengthening, ideally in the context of decentralization and climate change adaptation.

Required skills

Work experience with local governments, local stakeholders, local communities, and with addressing gender equality as project objective and/or cross-cutting issue;
Work experience with central government institutions/ministries and knowledge of government systems;
Strong networking capabilities and ability to associate him/herself with a range of actors (inter alia central and subnational governments; CSOs, NGOs, policy makers; national statistics office and donors, and local communities) with a view to building relations and facilitating links.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

Knowledge of current developments in local economic development for the most vulnerable (women and youth) is desired;
Experience with a UN organization/agency is desirable;
Experience with ATLAS and UNDP Procurement Processes is desired, but not a requirement.

Required Language(s)

Fluency in French and in other major languages spoken in Burkina Faso.

Disclaimer:

Female candidacies are strongly encouraged.

Important applicant information

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.? We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. We strongly encourage female candidacies.

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