Result of Service
Objective
The main objective of the position of Specialist in Private Sector Engagement for Climate Change Adaptation Consultant is to provide high quality technical, policy, programming implementation support, as well as knowledge and capacity development services, to UNEP LACO and client countries.
The consultant will support UNEP team with resource mobilization efforts in line with country priorities and donor requirements. She/he will have regular contact with country offices and national counterparts regarding UNEP Climate Change Adaptation programmes and projects.
The Specialist in Private Sector Engagement for Climate Change Adaptation Consultant will perform the following tasks:
Portfolio management:
• Facilitate technical training and deliver presentations during events and other engagements;
• Provide technical guidance to international and national consultants recruited to undertake/support the implementation of project activities;
• Assist in the development of Terms of Reference for consultants and sub-contractors.
• Assist in the elaboration of annual work plans and budgets, as well as manage activities, and monitoring;
• Support the representation of UNEP at meetings, technical sessions, project events, ceremonies, and functions.
• Identify priorities and entry-points for UNEP assistance;
• Work with the Adaptation team in the process of preparation, design, submission and approval of programme/project concepts and full-fledged proposals for financing, ensuring that innovative private sector and finance components are incorporated;
• Support the guidance of country-level consultations and conduct and/or review assessments, stocktaking, gap analyses of key institutions to fully embark on medium to long-term planning and budgeting for adaptation aligned to national development priorities (e.g. NAP and NDC) for sectoral and cross-sectoral approaches;
• Facilitate relationships with potential financing agencies and institutions.
• Assist with inception, contracting and start-up of programmes/projects including establishment of indicators, benchmarks and work plans;
• Provide support in order to maintain high quality of the program implementation, monitoring of results, and reporting to the donors;
Technical Support
Provide technical support to current and future initiatives including:
(a) Nature4Cities – Increasing resilience through Nature based Solutions in Latin American cities:
• Support the generation of Infographics: A short factsheet highlighting key barriers, enabling factors, investment business opportunities and a roadmap for the engagement of the Private Sector in the investment and implementation of urban NbS;
• Provide Technical support to formulate a Private Sector Engagement Toolkit: The toolkit has the objective to incentivize the private sector’s participation and investment in urban NbS measures. The product should include (i) rationale for the private sector engagement in adaptation actions in cities; (ii) assessment of the key climate risks, exposition, vulnerability and impacts for prioritized sectors (water, infrastructure, agriculture) with implications for the private sector and their value chains; (iii) identification of business opportunities to engagement in urban NbS. This product must include cases of studies of Nature4Cities at a city-level;
• Support the production of scripts for three short videos: Scripts for three short videos (2-3 min each) to be published on CityAdapt platform. The topics for the videos will be determined at a later stage and will be based on the Private Sector Engagement toolkit. Possible topics include, but are not limited to: 1) introduction of NbS and its relationship with the private Sector; 2) Main impacts of the climate change in the Private Sector activities and opportunities to became more resilient with NbS; 3) Positive impacts of implementing and financing NbS in their portfolio of activities. All the scripts must have a forceful narrative that allows to demonstrate the potential that NbS have for the Private Sector and to be aware of the impact of this project;
• Facilitate a Roundtable discussion, considering developing a guiding document to facilitate a discussion on the role and opportunities for engaging the private sector in urban NbS for adaptation as part of the Community of Practice on Urban NbS. It will be a roadmap of the topics to debate in the RoundTable to understand the importance of the engagement of the Private Sector in the implementation and financing of the NbS and the essential necessity of create capacities;
• Work closely with the N4C National coordinators to provide seven feedback sheets on national reports for engagement of the private sector. Feedback sheets with recommendations for improvement of the seven national reports on engagement of the private sector;
• Support the development of regional documents and activities including private sector engagement plans, factsheets, Community of Practice and the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC);
(b) NAPs:
• Contribute to the stakeholder mapping and engagement plan for the private sector.
• Provide technical advice for the design and implementation of educational material, awareness raising workshops, communication strategies targeting the private sector.
• Provide technical advice for the development of tools for the assessment of climate risks in organizations and business models.
• Provide technical and policy guidance to foster Private-Public Partnerships for adaptation.
• Organize knowledge exchanges related to private sector engagement.
• Support the data collection related to the private sector in order to develop climate risk assessments for priority sectors.
• Provide inputs for the development of financing strategies for the NAPs that foster the investment from actors of the private sector.
• Provide inputs and guidance for the development of NAP concept notes that include private sector-related components.
(C) ANDES:
• Revise relevant project documents and provide feedback on private sector-related information.
• Provide inputs and technical advice in meetings and documents on how to promote private sector engagement for initiatives in the Andes.
• Provide support to revise the requirements of international funds regarding private sector engagement in project design through innovative mechanisms and approaches.
• Support the design and formulation of funding proposals that incorporate components for private sector engagement and innovation in the Andean region.
Work Location
UNEP LACO Office, Panama City, Panama
Expected duration
12 MONTHS
Duties and Responsibilities
Purpose
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.
The UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LACO Office), located in Panama City, Panama works closely with the 33 countries of the region – including 16 small island developing States – with a population of about 588 million people. The office works to serve the needs of the region and its activities are integrated into the work programs approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly of UNEP (UNEA).
UNEP seeks to support countries in Latin America to implement the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the new Paris Agreement and the priority actions defined in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of Latin American countries.
The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region is the second most urbanised region in the world, with ~80% of the population living in cities. Within the next two decades, this proportion is projected to reach ~85%, thereby ranking the cities of the LAC region among the fastest-growing in the developing world. The rate of urban expansion is faster in small and medium-sized cities relative to mega cities. This rapid urbanization and the associated expansion of cities is degrading urban and peri-urban ecosystems – including wetlands, green spaces and forests – that provide a wide range of ecosystem services for urban communities.
To address the vulnerability of urban communities, governments in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region need to develop and implement cost-effective, low-risk solutions, such as Nature-based Solutions (NbS) by protecting, maintaining and rehabilitating priority ecosystems in urban areas. As a result, UNEP is working with the governments of, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Honduras Cuba, Panama, Guatemala and Uruguay to execute a two-years, Readiness project “Nature4Cities – Increasing resilience through Nature- based Solutions in Latin-American cities” funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The project is implemented in 7 countries (Cuba, Honduras, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Panama, and Uruguay) and a total of 13 cities within those countries.
The aim of the project is to increase the capacity of countries to design and implement Nature- based urban development strategies that ensure urban resilience to climate change through five main areas of work: (1) Strengthening the knowledge base of national and local governments to assess the potential for Nature- based Adaptation and Mitigation Solutions in urban areas in the context of broader climate change strategies; (2) Reinforcing enabling policies and institutional frameworks to increase adoption of NbS in urban planning; (3) Strengthening partnerships between key actors to accelerate the adoption of NbS solutions; (4) Defining climate finance strategies through innovative public, private and blended financial mechanisms and facilitating access to climate finance for the sustained implementation of NbS; (5) Accelerating upscaling and replication through a regional Urban NBS platform.
In this context, UNEP is seeking a Specialist in Private Sector Engagement for Climate Change Adaptation Consultant to support the Adaptation Team at LACO by providing technical and policy support for:
a) The implementation of activities under the areas of work number 3 and 4 and provide inputs for the general implementation of the Nature4Cities project.
b) The implementation of other adaptation projects (National Adaptation Plan projects, EbA projects, etc) that need to advance their activities related to the engagement of the private sector.
c) The development of project concept notes and full proposals, for which the inputs for the inclusion of innovative components that involve a range of actors within the private sector is necessary.
d) Generating tools, knowledge products and communication materials to foster the private sector’s opportunities to engage in adaptation action and incentivize investments in NbS.
e) Ensuring the incorporation of private sector actors in the design and implementation of projects.
The consultant will be supervised by the Programme Management Officer of the Adaptation to Climate Change Unit and will work in close collaboration with project managers, adaptation specialists and financing experts that are part of the regional and national teams. He/She will be based in the UNEP LACO Office located in Panama City, Panama, and will be expected to comply with 40 hours per week, from Monday to Friday on a full-time basis.
Qualifications/special skills
Qualifications Required
ACADEMIC:
- Bacherlor´s degree in finance, economics, environmental sciences, social sciences, engineering, climate change, development, business administration, or a closely related field is required.
– Master’s degree in finance, economics, environmental and social sciences, climate change, development, business administration, or a closely related field is desirable.
PROFESSIONAL:
- 7 years of professional experience and expertise in working with the private sector, in stakeholder engagement, environment-related activities or climate change actions is required.
- Proven understanding of the climate Finance landscape and procedures for adaptation, multilateral and bilateral funds, and other climate finance channels/modalities is an asset;
- Professional experience in delivering high-profile knowledge products is an asset;
- 3 years of relevant experience in working with ecosystem-based approaches, resilient infrastructure, urban planning is an asset.
- Previous work experience in Latin America and the Caribbean is highly desirable.
- Recent knowledge of the institutional and policy environment regarding the private sector engagement in environmental/climate change issues in the Latin America and the Caribbean region is an asset.
- Previous work experience with the UN system or international organizations is an asset.
SPECIAL SKILLS/ KWOWLEDGE:
- Proven track record of contributing to policy change in sustainability, finance or a related field.
- Proven experience of working on sustainable finance would be highly advantageous.
- Deep understanding of climate change related and climate finance topics is desirable .
- Motivated and driven by the purpose the team/organization is working towards and the impacts they are trying to achieve.
- Previous experience in liaising with financing in specific areas, such as: buildings, water services, adaptation, Nature based Solutions at a city-level is desirable.
LANGUAGE:
- Fluent in Spanish is required.
- Confident level of English is desirable
COMPETENCIES:
- Professionalism: Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations. He/she shows pride in work and in achievements; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.
- Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions.
- 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 audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
- Teamwork: Is able to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team to achieve organizational goals and to take leadership when appropriate; 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.
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.
