Result of Service

i) Overall UN-REDD in-country activities in Africa well implemented, (ii) documents related to activities across the region well prepared, in excellent quality and in a timely manner, (iii) UN-REDD Results-Based Finance (RBF) elements initiated and implemented.

Work Location

Home Based

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is a 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 UN-REDD is the UN’s knowledge and advisory platform on forest solutions to the climate crisis. It is composed of three agencies – FAO, UNDP, and UNEP – that work together to form a UN flagship partnership, assisting countries to implement the Paris Agreement, particularly Articles 5 and 6. UN-REDD strives to reduce deforestation, promote sustainable land uses, advance international cooperative approaches to climate change mitigation, and mobilize climate finance to reverse the trend on tropical deforestation. Since its inception in 2008, UNEP, within the UN-REDD Programme, has built unparalleled expertise in taking stock, producing, and disseminating knowledge in the form of lessons learned, good practices and proven methodologies; more specifically in the following areas of work: safeguards, access to finance and knowledge management. In relation to finance and private sector engagement, the UN-REDD Programme supports crowding in diverse funding sources and revenue streams for all three phases of REDD+ (readiness, implementation, and results-based finance), country by country, tailored to national circumstances and engaging the full range of in-country stakeholders. Going forward, the Programme will continue to put a strong emphasis on its core strength of being a knowledge broker and catalytic convener in innovative ways to scale up REDD+ financing, implementation, and impacts. African countries, especially in the Congo Basin, are a crucial part of the forest solutions for Climate action, however, progress within the AFOLU sector remains slow. To help address this issue, this position seeks to support the work of the Africa UNEP - UN-REDD Team. This position is homebased under the direct supervision of the UNEP - UN-REDD Africa Region Coordinator. The position holder will specifically support the delivery of UNEP UN-REDD implementation plan for Africa: this involves working closely with other UN agencies, governments, and other relevant key stakeholders to ensure countries accelerate financing for forests, via upfront financing and REDD+ Results-Based Finance (RBF).   The consultant will perform the following tasks: 1. Programme implementation quality assurance, for delivery of results (Output 1, 50%) • Ensure proper follow-up of UN-REDD implementation based on legal agreement and agreed workplan, UN-REDD Results Framework 2021-2025, flag issues in a timely way and suggest eventual adaptive management measures as necessary. • Provide technical guidance and support to countries in terms of day-to-day REDD+ implementation as necessary, as well as in the formulation of country workplan, targeted support, and other outputs, • Provide technical support and capacity development to countries on topics such as REDD+ nesting, carbon market and other REDD+ related issues. • Source technical expertise to support countries, including assisting with the preparation of TORs, identification of experts, selection process. • Provide technical backstopping on reviewing deliverables of consultants hired by the Programme, writing UNEP and UN-REDD quarterly, semestrial and annual reporting. • Conduct national consultation meetings at national and regional levels to collect stakeholders’ input and/or to ensure stakeholders’ buy-in and actions on findings, policy options, and recommendations. • Capture lessons learnt and package them to stimulate the uptake of best practices and knowledge. • Organize and participate in in-country missions to liaise with national counterparts and other key stakeholders, including but not limited to international partners involved in REDD+. • Provide technical expertise/input to UNEP policy position papers and internal briefing notes. 2. Access to REDD+ financing and private sector engagement (Output 2, 35%) • Jointly with the UNEP UN-REDD Africa Regional Coordinator and the Global UN-REDD Finance Specialist, leads the agenda on REDD+ and carbon finance, as well as private sector engagement initiatives and activities in in the Africa region. • Provides policy advisory support to African priority countries in scaling up sustainable financing for REDD+ activities (upfront and results-based financing). • Liaise with other REDD+ initiatives and potential co-financing agencies and institutions to ensure REDD+ implementation consists of one nationally owned REDD+ process. • Establishes good working relationships with partners (public and private) working towards the REDD+ and carbon finance field in Africa. • Contributes to advance global UNEP UN-REDD led initiatives agenda on upfront financing and results-based financing by generating and disseminating knowledge, including but not limited to forest carbon markets. 3. Support the resources mobilization process (Output 3, 15%): • Identify strategic opportunities, needs and gaps to contribute to the planning process in line with the UN-REDD Results Framework for the 2021-2025 period. • Transform these opportunities into project ideas with theory of change to be implemented on the ground. • Initiate drafts project concept notes, documents/proposals according to donors’ procedures and support the submission process. • Consult with partners, country focal points and related stakeholders to collect feedback and update the documents as needed.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree: Master's degree or equivalent in Natural Resources, Forestry, Environmental Engineering, Economics, Public/Environmental Policy, Environmental impact assessment of projects, public management, or forest management, economics, finance, sustainable development, business administration, Biology or Agronomy, economics, finance, sustainable development, business administration or related field is required. Experience/knowledge: • A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience in project management is required. • At least 7 years of relevant professional experience including international work experience in sustainable finance, or REDD+ finance or climate finance is required. • A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience in public or private sector entities, especially in the African region is desirable. • A minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience in the provision of technical assistance in sustainable forest management or conservation is desirable. • A minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience in coordination and planning with national and regional actors related to forest management and/or forest management and climate change is desirable. • Strong knowledge about REDD+ mechanism, not limited to the financing aspects, as well as understanding of financial institutions and sustainable finance with practical experience in African countries are desired. • Excellent knowledge of Africa’s portfolio of REDD+ work would be an asset. • Experience working with international organizations is desirable. Skills: • Strong and proven project management skills. • Ability to work independently with limited supervision. • Ability to convene partners and facilitate consensus. • Ability to coordinate a wide range of different outputs and partners. • Ability to analyze materials from various sources and expertise and recommend alternative options if needed.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in spoken and written English is required, French is desirable. Knowledge of any other official UN languages would be an asset.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.