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’s mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action.
Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP has a network of country and regional offices facilitating the relevant country and regional processes and coordinating coherent delivery of UNEP’s programme aimed at addressing the causes of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution through seven interlinked sub-programmes for action that include: Climate Action, Chemicals and Pollution Action, Nature Action, Science Policy, Environmental Governance, Finance and Economic Transformations and Digital Transformations.
UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa (ROA) supports environmental governance institutions and processes and engages a broad range of partners that include UN agencies, governments, non-governmental organizations, academic, and private sector entities on multilateral environmental agreements and sustainability programs and projects in response to national, sub-regional and regional needs and priorities. UNEP’s support to regions and countries is guided by reforms of the UN Development System (UNDS) including the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC) and UN Country Team (UNCT) systems. This post is based in UNEP/ROA at the Nairobi duty station.
The Senior Programme Management Officer leads UNEP’s engagement with the UN Development System at regional and country levels, and guides and coordinates effective UNEP support to the Regional Collaborative Platform and its Opportunities and Issue-Based Coalitions (RCP/OIBC) as well as its participation in the work of the UN Country Teams.
Under the direct supervision of the Regional Director, the incumbent will perform thefollowing duties:

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Director, the incumbent will perform the following duties:
Responsibilities
1. Lead the engagement of UNEP with the UNDS: continuously assess requirements for improved engagement with the UNDS at the country and regional level and make recommendations to management for consideration; strengthen internal coordination within UNEP for purposes of building, strengthening and maintaining a coherent approach in its support to countries through the UNCT and RCP; oversee implementation of agreed protocols and approaches for engagement with the RCP, UNCT and UNRC systems; work to improve UNEP’s agility and visibility at country and regional level in Africa, including through continuously integrating lessons learned in its approaches and processes.
2. Provide strategic environmental and policy advice to the UNRCs: provide strategic and technical advisory support to UNRCs, based on the request, on specific environmental issues and especially those related to climate change, nature and biodiversity, and pollution and chemicals; work with the UNRCs to promote advocacy for the environment, including through improving their access to policy briefs, knowledge materials and environmental assessments.
3. Provide support to the Regional Director by coordinating the UNEP’s work with the RCP and OIBCs, including in the role of co-chairing OIBCs, where UNEP is a co-convener; support the Regional Director to engage with Divisions, Branches and other UNEP entities to contribute to UNCT/UNRC, led processes, including preparation of the Common Country Analyses (CCAs), development and implementation of CFs, agency and joint programmes, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting through UN Info, including reporting on non- monetary contributions.
4. Enhance UNEP’s political and strategic engagement on environmental priorities at the national and sub-national levels in Africa in support of UNEA resolutions, Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and inter-governmental processes such as G20. Coordinates policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, and preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies.
5. Promote prioritization of actions to address the triple-planetary crises by UNCT: Consistent with the cross-cutting nature of the poverty issue, be responsible for improving the cross- sectoral cohesion of policy development in the Law Division by providing strategic advice on how cross-sectoral linkages (e.g. between poverty, environment and water; poverty, environment and health; poverty environment and urban issues) should be better reflected in environmental policy development policy and law. The advice must also reflect environmental-economic-social interlinkages. The viability of, operationalizing the concept of sustainable development under the poverty and environment umbrella should also be assessed.
6. Generates survey initiatives; designs data collection tools; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identify problems/issues and prepares conclusions; Organizes and prepares written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
7. Identify National priorities and develop interventions: Gather and provide information on national and regional priorities, and in close collaboration with the regional sub-programme coordinators and division leads, contribute to the preparation of specific interventions for the countries and the region in line with UNEP’s medium-term strategy and programme of work.
8. Provides substantive backstopping to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc.
9. Initiates and coordinates outreach activities; conducts training workshops, seminars, etc.; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
10. 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.
11. Perform other duties as may be assigned by management of the United Nations Environment Programme.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM – Solid understanding of the environment and climate change. Knowledge of the UN Development System processes at country and regional level. Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities, and risks. Ability to establish and maintain relationships with a broad range of individuals and institutions to understand needs and gain support. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction; Ability to develop strategies and communicate clearly links between the organization’s strategy and programme of work the region’s and sub-regions and countries’ goals; Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management; Demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of operation; Demonstrated ability to negotiate, apply good judgment and the ability to influence others to reach agreement; Mastery of the diverse scope of capacity building and a clear vision of UNEP’s role at the national, sub-regional, regional and global levels; Ability to resolve complex and politically sensitive problems with governments, cooperating institutions, and other stakeholders. Shows pride in work and in achievements; Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Remains calm in stressful situations.
COMMUNICATION – Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
TEAMWORK – Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; Places team agenda before personal agenda; Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
PLANNING AND ORGANIZING – Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently.
LEADERSHIP – Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; Empowers others to translate vision into results; Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; Drives for change and improvement, does not accept status quo; Shows the courage to take unpopular stands; Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives into substantive work and commitment to the goal of achieving gender balance in staffing.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental Studies, Economics, Law, International Relations, Social Sciences, or related discipline is required.
A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying 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.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible work experience in programme/project management, environmental management, policy development or related field is required.
Five (5) years experience at the international organization equivalent to United Nations at a senior level is required.
Experience in strategic policy setting is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of other UN languages 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.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates for this position may include a substantive assessment, which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is temporarily available for a period of 364 days. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.
Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply.Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.
Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.