Project Support Officer

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

In its Article 20, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), established the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) to (1) facilitate the exchange of scientific, technical, environmental, and legal information on, and experience with, living modified organisms, and (2) assist Parties to implement the Protocol, taking into account the special needs of developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and small island developing States among them, and countries with economies in transition as well as countries that are centres of origin and centres of genetic diversity. UNEP implemented two previous Projects in GEF-eligible countries (BCH Projects Phase I and II) to assist Parties to participate to the BCH. While BCH-I project involved 80% of eligible countries (109), BCH-II involved only the first 50 countries that endorsed it. The present BCH-III project, the “UNEP- GEF Project for Sustainable Capacity Building for Effective Participation in the BCH”, extends the BCH-II project to the last 76 eligible countries (COP/MOP Decision BS VI/5 paragraph 2f). The project recognizes that “capacity-building needs vary from country to country”, and that many do not have in place fully established and functional biosafety regulatory frameworks (NBFs) that meet the requirements of the Protocol. Nevertheless, the BCH-III project will conduct the main components of BCH-II project while taking into consideration the recommendations and lessons learned from its predecessor to adopt a holistic approach for capacity building and tackle the sustainability issue of the participation to the BCH. Hence, the objective of BCH-III is to “sustain the effective participation to the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) of Parties that are eligible for GEF funding”. It aims to ensure (i) that participating countries have established sustainable national procedures to gather information to put on the BCH, and (ii) that they have the expertise to use, access and participate efficiently to the BCH. This will ultimately improve countries’ compliance to the Protocol while ensuring a safer handling and use of LMOs for a further Global Conservation of Biodiversity.

Task description

Under the overall guidance of the Chief of the Environmental Conventions and Policy Branch, Law Division, and direct supervision of the BCH III Project Manager, the International UN Volunteer, in close collaboration with the Project Assistant in the Division and Regional Advisors, will ensure effective and timely implementation of the BCH III Project by: Providing the overall support to the project manager and ensuring effective execution and visibility of the project daily by: a) Assisting with the planning, coordination, reviewing and reporting processes at the United Nations Environment Programme level. b) Maintaining an updated record on progress of the project activities. c) Providing administrative and technical expertise required by the BCH III participating countries and other implementing partners of the project. Specific responsibilities, under the supervision of the Project Manager will include, but are not limited to the following: I. Technical and Programme Support to BCH III Project · Assist in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) project, review documents and reports. · Identify priorities, tracks problems and issues to be addressed and propose corrective actions; liaise with partners; · Identify and initiate follow-up actions for the management of day-to-day operations of the project; provide assistance to the work of the Biosafety Clearing House teams. · Assist in preparation of contracts and agreements with appropriate partner institution, organizations and individuals; · Assist in the production and dissemination of informative material on new capacity building opportunities for effective participation in the BCH project; · Assist in organizing of orientation and training workshops for trainers; · Assist in the organization and convening of national and regional workshops. · Provide administrative and substantive support to BCH meetings, including preparation of background documents, presentations, handling of logistics and participation in field missions. · Assist in the coordination of a network among BCH operatives and provide support to the Regional Coordinators in establishing linkages and mainstreaming the BCH into national/regional biosafety implementation projects and facilitate transfer and sharing of experience and information between participating countries. · Participate and in the external review and self-evaluation of the BCH project outputs to the UNEP-GEF Project Steering Committee Group (Global Environment Facility); · Coordinate and monitor the progress of experts and consultants and the process on national sub-projects in participating countries; providing input into the GEF-managed monitoring and evaluation activities, particularly the annual Project Implementation Review; · Assist in the preparation of inputs to quarterly progress reports to UNEP on the BCH project; and of inputs to Annual Progress Reports to UNEP for transmission to GEF. · Contribute to activities related to budget a financial management of the project and assist in the preparation of financial reports to UNEP and other co-financing organizations and partners. · Undertake other relevant duties as directed by the Project Manager and the Branch Chief as necessary. Furthermore, UNV volunteers are encouraged to: · Strengthening their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD); · Getting acquainted with and building on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; · Reflecting on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities; · Contributing articles/write-ups on field experiences and submitting them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; · Assisting with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UNV volunteers; and · Promoting or advising local groups in the use of online volunteering or encouraging relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.