General
Description of assignment title: Ecosystem Restoration Specialist
Assignment country: Kenya
Expected start date: 01/08/2023
Sustainable Development Goal: 13. Climate action
Volunteer category: International UN Volunteer Specialist
DoA reserved for persons with disabilities: No
Host entity: UNEP
Type: Onsite
Duration: 12 months
Number of assignments: 1
Duty stations: Nairobi
Details
Mission and objectives
Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the 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 mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP works through its divisions as well as regional, liaison and out-posted offices and a growing network of collaborating centres of excellence.
Context
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. UN Environment’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.
Under Resolution 73/284, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2021–2030 to be the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (UN Decade) to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide. The Young Professional will be part of the small core team for the UN Decade co-led by two UN entities, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), jointly with the Rio Conventions and a network of over 150 entities from private sector to civil society actors.
The UN Decade kickstarted a global restoration movement setting global standards and bringing restorers around the globe together under one umbrella for the next 8 years. Millions of citizens engage in #GenerationRestoration and are eager to take action and support the UN Decade. Twitter’s marketing research confirms ‘The Great Restoration’ being the global conversation #1 to watch in 2023.
Task description
The incumbent will support the overall Coordinator of the UN Decade (D1) and as integral part of the core team as well as the different arms of the UN Decade such as the Task forces, governance bodies, as well as with the Multi-Partner Trust Fund.
Specifically, the International UNV will undertake the following tasks:
1) The Young professional will lead on building a network of volunteers, e.g. online vol-unteers, in support of the UN Decade partner network activities through Action Plan challenges and Task Forces. The Digital Hub provides an opportunity as emerging platform and Youth is a key constituency and target group in this endeavor.
a. Building and coordinating this network for a global movement while using the existing UN Decade architecture and in collaboration with all stakeholder groups, will be a stint in movement building as a key, professional qualities for future assignment.
2) The UN Volunteer will help with the implementation of Restoration Challenges under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’s new Action Plan, working closely with partners, leading on Learning Sessions, as well as support formal reporting require-ments
3) The incumbent will support other programmatic and partner coordination-related tasks, such as calls for World Restoration Flagships, as needed
Results/Expected Outputs
• Well-coordinated network of volunteers in support of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and its partners.
• Timely reporting and monitoring of volunteer and partner activities.
• High-quality inputs to reports on UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration contributions through the Action Plans, volunteers, and partner networks.
Eligibility criteria
Age: 27 – 80
Nationality: Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.
Requirements
Required experience
3 years of experience in either ecosystem management, project management, or network coordination is required.
• Work experience related to ecosystem restoration is desirable.
• Work experience in community organizing is desirable.
• Work experience in monitoring and reporting is desirable.
Area(s) of expertise: Development programmes, Natural and life sciences, Energy and environment
Driving license: .
Languages: English, Level: Fluent, Required
Required education level
Bachelor degree or equivalent in Forestry, political science, economics, international development, project management, or related fields
Competencies and values
• Professionalism: Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations; 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; takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• 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.
• Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly in-terprets messages from others and responds appropriately; proven interpersonal skills; 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 in-formation and keeping people informed; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, ar-ticulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military person-nel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse back-grounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective, without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups.
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity, and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.
Other information
Living conditions and remarks
The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighboring Somalia, Ethi-opia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; Na-tional Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Counties are further divided into sub-counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 40 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%. The country’s GNP per capita estimated at purchasing power parity (PPP) is $975, and the GNP is growing at an average rate of 0.1% annually. More than 26% of Kenya’s people live below the international poverty line of $1 per day. Kenya’s main food crops are “maize, wheat, pulses, roots and tubers.” (FAO). Nairobi is a modern metropolitan city where most basic goods and services, health facilities, public transport, telecommunication and banking services and educational facilities are readily available. The city is widely connected through its main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the smaller Wilson Airport. Air transport is also available to many up-country destinations. The city is home to some 3,000 UN personnel mainly attributed to the fact that it serves as the headquarters for both the UN HABITAT and UNEP. The socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society the UNV would be living and working in is diverse and prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment is modest. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location is highland cool and warm tropical climate.
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy
